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JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Popular Books for Girls 
By HARRIET A. CHEEVER 

.MAID SALLY 
GIPSY JANE 
LOU 

JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

Each volume bound in clothe with an 
original cover design 
Clothy i2mo, fidly illustrated 


Published by 

DANA ESTES & COMPANY 

Estes Press, Boston, Mass. 




k 





“ LAUGHING AND CHATTING WITH AN AIR OF GOOD 


COMRADESHIP 


* 3o0it Bean ; 
-«• dFIat Street 


’J? 


By HARRIET A. CHEEVER 

Author of Maid Sally , “ Gipsy Janef '■^Little Mr. 
Van Vere of China etc. 


ILLUSTRATED BY 

DIANTHA W. HORNE 



Boston ^ Dana Estes 
& Company Publishers 


> > 
) 3 

) > ) 






UBRARY of OOf(6R€SS 
fwu Oopi<i^ rttfuaveu 


JUN 26 1905 

vouyritfiii uiiry 
2 . 6 , l^oS 
'CLASS AAc. N« 
/Xg / 5 "^ 
COPY B. 


Copyright, igo^ 

By Dana Estes & Company 


All rights reserved 


JOSIE BEAN : FLAT STREET 


COLONIAL PRESS 

Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Sitnonds 6f* Co. 
Boston, U. S. A. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I. 

Her Tastes . 

• 

. 

• 


PAGE 

1 I 

II. 

The Milliner’s Store 

• 

• 

• 


21 

III. 

Josie’s Place 

• 

• 

• 


32 

IV. 

Queer Customers 


• 

• 


48 

V. 

Lessons 

• 

• 

• 


62 

VI. 

The Show-window 

• 

• 



76 

VII. 

Papa’s Advice 

• 




87 

VIII. 

An Invitation 

• 


• 


104 

IX. 

Little Daffy 

• 


• 


119 

X. 

The Christmas Tree . 

• 

• 

• 


134 

XL 

The Dance . 

• 

• 



149 

XII. 

Flat Street 

• 

• 

• 


165 

XIII. 

A Caller 

• 

• 

• 


178 

XIV. 

At the Studio . 

• 

• 

• 


193 

XV. 

Getting On . 

• 

• 

• 


207 

XVI. 

The Great Fair. 

• 

• 

• 


222 

XVII. 

The Tableaux 

• 

• 



239 

XVIII. 

Little Daffy Again . 

• 


• 


255 

XIX. 

JosiE Is IN THE Way . 

• 

t 

• 


270 

XX. 

In Six Months . 

• 

• 

• 


285 


• 





»■ 










o 













. * 


f 4 



I 


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-( 

» • 



. I 





ft 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

“ Laughing and chatting with an air of good 

cOMKATi'E.suip'' {See page 216) . . Frontispiece 

“ ‘ Well, if you don’t look like your own 


GRANNY, i’ll BE BLOWED ! ’ ” . . . . 44^ 

‘“What will they take for a hat like that, 

SIS, DO YOU KNOW ? ’” 

“‘My! aren’t you a little sweet!’” . . . 123 >/ 

‘“You OUGHT TO take LESSONS IN DRAWING’” . 1 58 ^ 

“‘Was ever there such an impertinence known 

before!”’ 197 

“ JOSIE said never a word, SIMPLY WENT UP TO 
HER AND BEGAN PINNING ON THE RICH RED 

POPPIES ” 240 ^ 

“ JOSIE . . . SAT READING AWAY BY THE GILDED 

CRIB ” 276 / 




JOSIE BEAN: FLAT 
STREET 


CHAPTER 1. 

HER TASTES 

JOSIE was on the flat top of a broad stone 
post at the foot of five or six stone steps lead- 
ing up to the house where she lived. 

All at once a stylishly dressed young lady 
passed by. 

“That’s it!” muttered Josie, “that’s it; 
yes, that’s it!” 

Josie had coaxed her mother to take two 
rooms in the house because of the stone steps 
leading up to the front door. They looked 
grand to her childish eyes, and, although she 


12 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


was but ten years old, she had an eye for 
everything that was beautiful or fair. 

Ever since she had noticed anything with 
intelligence, the child had chosen things that 
looked well and that were nice, that is, when- 
ever she was allowed to choose at all. 

It was somewhat strange that she always 
seemed to know what was nice, and what, 
perhaps, was stranger still for so young a girl, 
she would beg her mother to wait before get- 
ting her a hat or a dress, until she could get 
what was pretty and becoming. 

Josie’s mother was very poor, so poor that 
it was all she could do to keep two rooms, 
one in which to cook and eat, the other in 
which to sew. A tailor used to send vests and 
coats to Mrs. Bean all cut and basted, and she 
would stitch them on the sewing-machine, 
make the buttonholes, press them, and take 
them back all neatly finished. So you see 
she was a tailoress. 

Josie used to get so tired of hearing the 
buzz of the machine, and of pulling out bast- 


HER TASTES 


13 


ings, that she declared over and again that, 
if ever she worked for herself, she would 
do anything sooner than finish ” for a tailor. 

“ Then you better be thinking what you 
will do,” her mother would reply, “ for cer- 
tain ’tis you won’t sit ’round doing nothing, 
and you the very peacock for wanting fine 
clothes and everything to match.” 

Josie’s mother was not actually unkind to 
her, but she was harsh of speech, and, as she 
was no scholar, and cared chiefly to get bread 
and butter to eat and a few clothes to wear, 
she always felt inclined to jeer at Josie’s de- 
sire for good things. Once she let fall the 
remark: 

“ Your father was the same partic’lar body 
as you set up to be; always worrying as to 
the looks of things, and wanting them ‘ just 
so ; ’ more’s the pity that he hadn’t the cash 
to carry out such fancy, fine ideas! ” 

Josie’s father had been an artist, not suc- 
cessful, probably partly because of his poor 
health. And her mother had sold every pic- 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


14 

ture he left except one. She only kept that 
because the child screamed with grief and 
disappointment when she said it must go like 
the rest. 

Such an unusual kind of picture for a child 
to fancy so strongly: part of the interior or 
inside of a Dutch sitting-room. But in it, 
at one side, was a carved mantel, from which 
hung a silken scarf with fringe drooping 
gracefully from the edge. Josie liked to 
watch the fall of that fringe. She used also 
to study the carved figures, thinking how 
beautiful they were. 

Then, under a vase of flowers, on a centre- 
table, was a square of delicate lace which 
hung over the edge of the table. Josie used 
to say that the pattern of the lace was like 
a cobweb. The pictured rug looked fine and 
costly, and pictures in thick frames on the 
wall set off the curious antique furniture. 

No, Josie could not, would not, part with 
that beloved picture. The poor father, whose 
work was really skilful, and worth having. 


HER TASTES 


15 


had there only been friends to help him, 
slipped away from the world when Josie was 
but five years old, and now her chief remem- 
brance was of looking at his pointed fingers, 
and thinking that he and her mamma ought 
to exchange hands. 

Added to this was a faint recollection of 
thick hair curling at the edges, and reddish, 
as he sat in the sun. He used to cough, but 
Josie was fast forgetting that. A few things 
he said to her, however, had not faded from 
the child’s memory. Perhaps the reason that 
she did not forget them was because they were 
so very few, and were said with so serious a 
face. And then again they were spoken 
slowly, very slowly, with his eyes on the 
child’s face. 

Then he was simply gone one day. And 
when the little child asked two or three times 
where he was, her mother said, snappishly: 

“Oh, don’t bother! I’ve got to get you 
something to eat, that’s about all I can think 
of now. Your father’s gone where he’s safe 


1 6 JOSIE bean: flat street 

enough, and is better off than he ever was 
before.” 

After all, that was sufficient. Her father 
had never noticed her much, anyway. And, 
if he was all safe and better off than ever 
before, she decided, with childish prudence, 
not to bother.” 

One thing that particularly tried and pro- 
voked Josie’s mother was what she called the 
child’s ridiculous tastes.” 

Once when it became actually necessary to 
buy two cups, Josie was gone so long to get 
a couple at five cents each that fier mother 
asked sharply on her return: “ What in crea- 
tion kept you so long? ” 

And it turned out that the child went an 
errand, carrying half a dozen cups and sau- 
cers to a house a quarter of a mile away, in 
order, besides paying her mother’s ten cents, 
to get two very pretty cups and saucers of 
passably good china and having gilt bands 
around the edges. 

“ We didn’t need the saucers, anyway,” 


HER TASTES 


17 


scolded her mother, “ and, as to the cups, 
they’re likely to go smash most any minute. 
I don’t see what you was thinking of.” 

“I do!” said Josie, holding up an inde- 
pendent little chin. “ I always hated those 
thick, old cups, and am glad they got broke. 
We can use the old saucers for mush, and not 
have all sorts on one plate, and I want a 
saucer like my cup. Please, ma, don’t scold, 
I helped earn them.” 

“ But it makes more dishes,” persisted her 
mother. 

“ I wash them,” insisted Josie. 

That was only one instance. 

Perhaps it was irritating to have her re- 
fuse to wear things which she greatly disliked. 
Once when her mother brought home a cheap 
woollen remnant, with which to make Josie 
a dress, the little girl looked at the figure 
made up of dashes of color and a mixed, wild- 
looking pattern, and burst into tears. 

“For the land’s sake, what now!” cried 
her mother, angrily. “ Ain’t I been and got 


i8 JOSIE bean: flat street 

you a good warm dress, and you set to and 
whimper like a great baby? ” 

“ I hate it!” cried Josie. 

“ What in time ails it? ” asked her mother, 
holding up the goods showing the mass of 
colors and the formless figure. 

“It — it looks like a railroad smash-up,” 
sobbed Josie, “ and I ain’t a-going to wear 
it!” 

Sure enough, even when her mother shook 
her and said she passed all patience, the child 
said she would wear her print dress all winter 
sooner than wear that awful thing. 

That was more than a year agone. Mrs. 
Bean made some kind of a bargain with the 
dry-goods man, and got Josie a sensible dress 
of lightish brown. Since then the little girl 
had gone with her mother and chosen her 
own “ dress-stuffs.” 

Josie was in school, but did not get along 
very rapidly. Every little while she had to 
be absent a day or two in busy seasons, for she 
must wash dishes and pull out bastings. Al- 


HER TASTES 


19 


ways and forever those long, stiff white 
threads must be pulled out. Mrs. Bean sold 
great wads of white thread, old bastings, at 
three cents a pad. 

After a time Josie insisted that she ought 
to have the money the bastings brought. Did 
not she do many errands, helping carry the 
coats and vests to the store? And did she 
not spend hours pulling out those tiresome 
threads, even staying from school to do it at 
hurried times? 

Her mother had to own that Josie did a 
good share of the work for a child, and at 
last said she might have the bastings money. 

You’ve got to buy useful things with it,” 
she said. 

“ I’ll buy good things,” said Josie. 

“ If you go to wasting it on finery, you 
sha’n’t have it,” her mother replied. 

“ I sha’n’t waste it,” returned Josie, glanc- 
ing at the Dutch picture. 

It’s wasting it to buy things that are above 
you, Josie Bean.” 


20 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


“ Hadn’t I ought to be better than things? 
asked Josie. 

That was a pretty sharp question for a nine- 
year-old, and, as Mrs. Bean did not know how 
best to answer, she only fell back on the old 
remark: 

“ Oh, don’t bother!” 

Now Josie was ten. She had on remark- 
ably good boots for so shabbily dressed a 
child, and a bow of black ribbon with white 
satin dots looked very well on her reddish 
hair. 

Both boots and bow had been bought with 
bastings money. Mrs. Bean had sniffed in- 
dignantly at the purchases, but Josie didn’t 
care. She was perched on the flat-topped 
post, ashamed neither of her feet nor her head, 
when a dainty girl passed by. And, after 
sharply taking in the beautifully fitting suit, 
well-matched hat, and the whole general air 
of good taste and correct ideas, Josie had told 
herself three times that “ that ” was “ it! ” 


CHAPTER 11. 

THE milliner’s STORE 

Two years passed away, and Josie was 
twelve years old. There was no improve- 
ment in the way of living at her home. The 
everlasting bastings were to be picked out, 
the long threads saved for selling. The tail- 
or’s garments had to be carried to the store, 
Josie usually going with her mother to help 
carry them. 

“ I’m just not going to keep at this much 
longer,” Josie kept telling herself. “ I know 
I could do something a great deal better.” 

It was a great pity for a child of twelve 
years to leave school, but the mother cared 
very little for books or studies, and every little 
while would tell Josie it was high time she 


21 


22 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


stayed at home and learned something of the 
tailor’s trade. One day she said, sharply: 

“ I’m going to have you begin next week.” 

“ I’m never going to learn it! ” Josie burst 
out in reply. “I hate the old black things! 
Almost always black, no bits of color or any- 
thing to touch them up. Of course I wouldn’t 
want men’s clothes anything but black; 
’twouldn’t be taste, but I ain’t going to pick 
at them forever, nor sew on them, either. 
I ain’t dead yet, and want to see something 
bright while I’m alive.” 

Now, although Josie spoke in this way, she 
did not like the sound of her own words, nor 
the tone in which she spoke. She wished she 
knew how to talk in what she thought of as 
“ a pretty way.” But you see she never had 
been taught to express herself like a little lady. 
Her mother spoke in a coarse or impatient 
way much of the time, and children usually 
talk in the same tones they hear used by older 
people. Yet Josie disliked her own rough 
speech. 


THE milliner’s STORE 


23 


It was as if the child’s inward or real na- 
ture was out of tune with all her surroundings 
and the habits she had formed. She had 
never forgotten the appearance of the fine 
young lady who slipped along Flat Street 
that morning when she made a figurehead 
for the stone post. And she had noticed other 
well-dressed young ladies since then, and 
heart and soul she grew more and more hun- 
gry for better things than she had ever had, 
or ever seemed likely to have. 

Now that her mother had spoken again, 
and this time with decision, about her doing 
something to earn money besides pulling out 
the bastings, Josie all at once wondered if 
she could not find that “ something ” on her 
own account. 

Way down in her young heart she felt sure 
that, should she say she was going to look 
for a place, her mother would reply that she 
would do no such thing; she herself would 
find a place for her, and whatever she found 
would have to be taken. 


24 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


And her mother said, in her scolding 
way: 

“ If you’re so set against working for the 
tailor, well and good. Yet I do indeed think 
that what has been good enough for the 
mother should answer plenty well for the 
child. Just think, too, how much I could 
show you! Why, lots of young girls would 
be glad to give me their help for nothing 
just to learn all I could show them about sew- 
ing for a tailor. What you want to set up 
your will for, I can’t see, but all is, if you’re 
bound you won’t work on coats or vests. I’ll 
do my best to get you into some store as a 
cash-girl. I guess you’ll soon see the differ- 
ence between running your legs off all day 
at the beck and call of a dozen ordery per- 
sons ” — she meant ordering ” — “ or sit- 
ting at home and being your own mistress.” 

Josie replied, spunkily: 

“ I’m not going to be a cash-girl, so you 
needn’t get any such place for me, and I don’t 
think it’s being your own mistress to hurry 


THE milliner’s STORE 


25 


and rush the way you have to on those heavy 
black things.” 

I’m going to get you a place right away,” 
her mother said, snapping off a needleful of 
black silk, “ and, when I do, you’re a-goin’ 
to go to it. Now no more sass ; you’re a young 
child, and the law makes you obey.” 

Oh, dear! Josie did wish her mother would 
speak more mildly, more as if she was a lady, 
and keep all that gibberish about the law ” 
out of her talk. 

Then a distinct plan began forming in her 
ruddy-haired head. 

After her plain dinner that day of baked 
potatoes, skimmed milk, and bread, Mrs. 
Bean started off with a great bundle for the 
tailor’s, leaving Josie to wash the dishes and 
clear up. This was done very quickly, then 
Josie went to the mirror in the workroom, 
combed her hair with unusual care, put a bow 
of navy-blue ribbon with light blue dots on 
it in the midst of her fluffy locks, and put on 
the good boots she would insist on buying. 


26 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


and the shabby brown dress she had worn 
nearly every day for more than a year. 

Then she went out, locked the door, and 
hid the key in a hollow by the stone steps, and, 
with a half-scared but determined look, 
started up the street. 

On the way to the tailor’s, Josie had passed 
and repassed a great many times a large mil- 
linery establishment where goods were sold 
both at wholesale and retail. That is, goods 
were sold in large quantities to be sold again 
by the single piece, or they were sold in small 
orders to persons who wanted only a hat or 
a bonnet, a few yards of ribbon, or a spray 
of artificial flowers. Millinery goods of every 
description were to be found at the great store, 
which took in more than one story of a high 
building. 

This place had long been Josie’s chief de- 
light and fascination, a place she never was 
known to pass without gazing in at the win- 
dows, and seldom passed without stopping to 


THE milliner’s STORE 


27 


admire the lovely things set forth behind the 
great squares of glass. 

Artificial flowers looking so real that it 
seemed as if they must be fragrant, feathers 
so fine and proud she ached to handle them, 
ribbons so beautiful she never tired of feast- 
ing her eyes on the varying colors, trimmed 
hats so charming that Josie fairly dreamed 
of them at night, — all these fair and attract- 
ive things of the milliner’s windows so allured 
the child that she now and then would linger 
before them so long that her mother would 
scold her when she returned from an errand 
for having been gone so long. 

Suddenly the wild idea entered her head 
of trying to get into that place of richness and 
tastefulness, no matter what she did there. 
Strange she never had thought of it until the 
day when her mother said, with decision, that 
she must either help with the sewing or be- 
come a cash-girl. 

But, once the idea did occur to her, it was 
like putting flame to a match. Josie could 


28 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


think of nothing else. At first it was a mere 
imagination, a thought, of how lovely, oh, 
just lovely, it would be could she but wriggle 
inside those great, showy doors and stay there, 
hired, regularly hired. The child’s cleft chin 
went up and up until the resolve was firmly 
taken that, if she was to be put to work, she 
would “ put ” herself, if possible, according 
to her own liking. 

“ It’s me that’s got to do the work,” she told 
herself, “ and I know ma pretty well. First 
thing I’ll know she’ll say: ^ Well, miss, I’ve 
got you a place, and you’re to go to-morrow.’ 
Then there’ll be an awful fuss if I say I won’t 
go. Ma just means to get me a cash-girl’s 
place in a big department store, and I just 
won’t stand it.” 

So, having done the best she could as to 
her appearance, poor Josie started for the 
great millinery establishment. 

Ah, but once inside the door, she trembled 
like any leaf. For, although she made up her 
mind on the way about what she would say. 


THE milliner’s STORE 


29 


she now thought, with confusion, how queer 
it would sound for her to ask to see the boss, 
and then say she had come to find something 
to do. 

How busy every one was! Josie had plenty 
of time in which to get up courage to tell her 
errand, and it was several minutes before a 
young lady, with stylishly arranged hair and 
a dress beautiful to the child’s eyes, stopped 
in front of her, and said, in rather a lofty way: 

“ Well, little girl, what is it you want? ” 
Please, I want to see the boss,” faltered 
Josie. 

“ The boss! ” The young lady guessed her 
meaning at once. 

“ Did you want to see about getting work? ” 
Yes’m.” 

What kind of work? ” 

The question took Josie all aback, and the 
young lady did hold her head so high! It 
frightened Josie, so that, in her confusion, she 
stammered out: 

“ Please, I’d like to learn how to trim hats.” 


30 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

It wasn’t what she wanted to do at all; she 
hadn’t thought of such a thing until, scarcely 
knowing what to say, she really said what first 
popped into her mind. 

The young lady smiled airily. “ It would 
take a long time for you to learn to trim hats 
for she replied. “ It would be better for 
you to pick up pins or pull out bastings for 
some dressmaker to begin with, and it’s lucky 
you saw me instead of the boss.” 

In spite of all her determination, Josie was 
utterly put down. She said, “ Yes’m,” and at 
once left the store. 

At the great window filled with ribbons 
and flowers she stopped. The trimmed hats 
and bonnets, the toques and turbans, were in 
the window on the other side of the door. 
But here were the things she had wanted to 
handle, these entrancing things that shim- 
mered and waved, that drew her toward them 
at every chance. 

But the haughty manner of the young mil- 
liner lady had driven a proper answer out 


THE milliner’s STORE 


31 


of her head. Poor little girl! As she stood 
looking through a great blur at these treasures 
of her dreams, it seemed to her as if her heart’s 
light had all at once been put out. Yes, she 
only saw through a blur, for her eyes were 
filled and overrunning with tears. 

To think she really sent me back to bast- 
ings again!” she sobbed. It was too bad! 
Too bad!” 

Then in a moment more, childlike, she felt 
the rising of new hope. 

P’r’aps I’ll try again,” she muttered, “ and 
ask some one else. That girl needn’t have 
snapped me up so. Oh, but to say bastings! ” 
Josie shivered with the sob that escaped her 
as she turned away. She had been worked 
up and excited, and now, although she had not 
meant to make a sound, it was not strange 
that the big sob caused a little choking sigh, 
a sigh that could be heard. 


CHAPTER III. 
josie’s place 

“Why, what’s the matter, little girl?” 

^ Josie had turned around to find herself face 
to face with a fine, stately-looking lady, who 
had caught the little sob and sigh as she turned 
from the window. 

The lady was not young, for her hair was 
gray, but she had a fresh face and a kind look 
in her dark eyes, and her voice was firm yet 
soft as she put her friendly question. 

“I — I got hurt,” answered Josie. 

“ I’m sorry,” said the lady. “ Did any one 
throw a stone at you? Some of the boys from 
over on Flat Street are very rude.” 

“ Oh, no, I didn’t get hurt that way,” Josie 
replied, feeling encouraged by the gentle 
32 


josie’s place 


33 


tones; “a girl here to the milliner’s didn’t 
speak kind to me.” 

The lady’s face changed so quickly and so 
completely that Josie felt almost frightened 
again. 

‘‘ Tell me what the girl said, please, exactly 
what she said.” 

“I — I wanted to get work, so I went in 
and asked to see the boss.” Then she repeated 
word for word what had passed between her 
and the showily dressed girl. 

‘‘ It made me cry,” Josie added, shyly, 

because I’ve had to pull out bastings from 
coats and vests ever since I can remember, 
but I love pretty things dearly, dearly! I — 
I wanted dreadfully to get in among all these 
lovely flowers. I love ribbons. I’ve kept a 
bow for my hair with bastings money ever 
so long.” 

“ Come in with me,” said the lady. “ I 
have a place here myself; perhaps, after all, 
I might find something for a willing child 


34 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


to do. Are you obedient? Do you like to do 
as you are told?” 

“ I never disobey ma,” Josie replied, “ but 
I didn’t want to learn tailor’s work, but she 
wants me to get a place somewheres.” 

“Goodness me!” she thought, “just to 
think such a fine lady as this works! And 
here I go, after all, into the flower and ribbon 
store.” Her heart began to sing for joy, yet 
the feeling uppermost was the surprise at this 
new turn of affairs. 

“ Which girl was it you spoke with? ” asked 
the lady, as they stood in the store. “ Please 
point her out to me.” 

“ It was that one trying the gray bonnet 
on the old lady,” Josie replied, “ but please,” 
she added, timidly, “ I don’t think she meant 
to sass me. I wouldn’t want her made any 
trouble.” 

The lady laughed a little. “ Well, no mat- 
ter about that, you can follow me to one of 
these rear rooms.” 

Josie’s eyes opened wide with wonder as 


JOSIE^S PLACE 


35 


she entered a large, square room at the back 
of the store. Six women, mostly middle-aged, 
were so busy trimming hats or working on 
lace and ribbons that they only glanced up 
for an instant as she stood looking around. 
But it appeared that the tall, stately woman 
who had invited her in was a person of much 
importance in this busy-bee place. For, no 
sooner did she appear than one of the workers 
said, hastily: 

“ Oh, Madame, Miss Ashley has sent word 
that she wants her evening bonnet carried to 
her to-night instead of to-morrow, because 
she wants to wear it to a reception this even- 
ing. What shall we do? ” 

Before any reply could be made to this, 
another younger woman began excitedly: 

“And what am I to do, Madame? Mr. 
Rockson said that on no account was Mrs. 
Edson to be disappointed about that travelling 
bonnet to-morrow, but, come to look, we 
haven’t one of those brown tips left. Miss 


36 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Gleason sold a bunch this morning without 
my knowing it.” 

“ The tips should have been brought to this 
room as soon as the order was given and they 
were selected,” said Madame, sternly. 

“ They were,” said the woman, “ but Miss 
Gleason says there was a customer wanted 
them so dreadfully she found the bunch in 
here and let her have them.” 

Madame’s handsome face grew so severe 
that Josie hardly dared look at her. 

“ I have told every girl in this store,” she 
said, “ and Miss Gleason particularly, never 
to come to the workroom for anything. 
Please call Miss Gleason,” she added, speak- 
ing to the woman who had made the com- 
plaint about the tips. 

The woman laid a half-made bonnet on 
a long table and went out. 

“ As for Miss Ashley’s evening bonnet,” 
Madame said, calmly, “ the second order 
comes very late, but I will assist, and I think 


JOSIE’S PLACE 


37 


it can be got off in time. We must always 
accommodate when possible.’’ 

Madame motioned Josie to a stool at one 
end of the room, and the little girl had just 
seated herself when the woman who had been 
sent for Miss Gleason returned, and with her 
was the young lady who had spoken to Josie 
so smartly only a little while before. 

Miss Gleason,” Madame began, “ I un- 
derstand that you came to the workroom this 
morning and took away and sold a bunch of 
brown ostrich tips. Is that so?” 

Poor Miss Gleason! ^There was no proud 
tossing of her head now, as she saw Madame 
standing straight and unbending before her. 

“Goody gracious!” thought Josie, “I’m 
glad I’m myself now and not that nice-look- 
ing girl.” 

In fact it appeared to Josie that she could 
actually see the rolls of hair standing high 
on the girl’s head begin to lower a little. 

“ They don’t really come down,” Josie said 
to herself. “ T just imagine they do.” 


38 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


But Miss Gleason was attempting a reply, 
and she tried to speak a little boldly as 
well : 

“ Why, a lady came in and was just crazy 
to get some little bits of brown feathers. She 
was so wild to find them, I peeped into the 
workroom, and Fm sure I didn’t know the 
cluster I found there was sold.” 

“ Did you not hear the order I have given 
more than once, that nothing whatever was 
to be taken from the workroom?” 

Miss Gleason hesitated, then said, reluc- 
tantly: “Yes’m, I heard it, but I thought 
perhaps, seeing that lady was so anxious for 
them, it would be better to accommodate her.” 

Young ladies will have to obey orders 
who work for said Madame, in reply. 
“ You can return now to the counter, and 
please say to Mr. Rockson I would like to see 
him.” 

Josie wondered what made Madame’s re- 
ply sound so familiar. Then she remembered 
that only a few moments before Miss Gleason 


josie’s place 


39 


had said to her, with the same emphasis that 
Madame now used: 

“ It would take a long time for you to learn 
to trim hats for us/ “ Then she sent me 
away,” thought Josie. “ Oh, I wonder if they 
will send her away.” And at heart she felt 
sorry for the proud, silly girl. 

Then came Mr. Rockson, a man not very 
tall, but with a keen eye, and an appearance 
that made Josie think he understood business 
all through and through. Madame looked 
troubled as she said to him: 

“ I am very sorry, but we cannot make Mrs. 
Edson’s travelling bonnet as she ordered it. 
Miss Gleason came to the workroom, took the 
feathers she had selected, and sold them. We 
have no more — ” 

“ How came the girl to do that? ” inter- 
rupted Mr. Rockson, his brow darkening. 

“ She simply did it,” replied Madame, with 
dignity. “ Now the first question is, what 
shall we do? ” 

“ Send word at once to Mrs. Edson to come 


40 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


and select something else,” Mr. Rockson re- 
plied. “ There is no other way. Didn’t Miss 
Gleason understand that goods were never to 
be taken from the workroom once they went 
in there?” 

“ Yes, she understood.” 

Nothing more was said, and Mr. Rockson 
disappeared on the other side of the heavy 
drapery before the workroom. 

“ I’m glad I ain’t Miss Gleason,” thought 
Josie again. “ Poor thing. I’m real sorry for 
her.” 

“ Have you used all of that red ribbon you 
want. Miss Loomis?” asked Madame. 

“ Yes’m.” 

“ And all of the green? ” 

“ Yes’m..” 

“ And the plaid, too? ” 

Yes’m.” 

“ And are you through with the laces. Miss 
Blossom? ” 

“Yes, Madame, all through for the pres- 
ent.” 


jdSIE’S PLACE 


41 


Madame beckoned to Josie. 

The child jumped from the stool so 
promptly that it turned half over as if about 
to follow her. 

What is your name?” asked Madame. 

“ It’s Josie Bean.” 

Very well, Josie. You see these blocks 
of ribbon on the table half-unrolled. Please 
roll them up. You will have to go slowly at 
first, as they must be rolled evenly. As they 
are done. Miss Loomis will show you how 
to fasten them at each end of the edge with 
little pins. Don’t be nervous. There are 
several blocks lying around on the table; 
wind them all neatly, snugly, and evenly. 
Then I will show you how to fold the web 
laces over the cards.” 

No one spoke to Josie as she began winding 
the rich ribbons. “Now this is lovely!” 
thought the child, “ but I must do exactly 
what I am told. Oh, I wouldn’t not mind 
Madame for the world! ” 

You see she had already learned one very 


42 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


important thing: that any one who was to 
get along in that great millinery store was 
first of all to obey orders. 

“ I reckon they have to in any business,” 
she thought. 

A very correct idea that! 

When the ribbons were at last ready to be 
put away, and the laces folded over the cards, 
Madame showed Josie where to place them, 
— the ribbons in a glass show-case, the laces 
in their right boxes. 

Back in the workroom Josie soon found 
there was not a moment to be wasted. 
Madame had told the six milliners that the 
little girl, Josie Bean, would make herself 
useful in any way she could, and first it 
was: 

“ Here, Josie, put these pins in the cushion, 
please,” and a handful of needle-pointed pins 
that had been hastily thrown on the table were 
stuck into a great, soft pincushion. Then it 
was : 

Josie, run to that third drawer and hand 


josie’s place 


43 


me out a roll of pink silk that’s on top, will 
you? ” 

And she giggled with satisfaction when 
Miss Blossom, a youngish woman, said, as 
if glad of the convenience: 

“ Oh, come now, Josie chick, pick up that 
hassock over in the corner there, and sit your- 
self down on it right at my feet. I want to 
put this hat on your head and see just where 
to fasten this spray of roses. 

“ Oh, stop shaking,” the woman added, 
pleasantly, as Josie caught a glimpse of her- 
self in a mirror opposite, for on her head was 
a great picture hat designed for a large, grown 
lady. 

‘‘Oh, my conscience!” exclaimed Miss 
Loomis, looking up from a little distance off, 
“ that’s big enough to be your grandmother 
of a hat. Don’t move, ’twould knock you 
over.” 

Josie, even at this, only showed her beau- 
tiful teeth, managing not to shake again. 

“Now let’s see where the veil wants to be 


44 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


caught on/’ said Miss Blossom, and the next 
moment a piece of spotted lace was over her 
face. 

Just then a boy of about sixteen, lank and 
droll in his very make-up, came into the room, 
and, seeing the shabbily dressed child on the 
hassock, a ponderous hat on, and a veil over 
her face, he said, with a comical drawl: 

“ Well, if you don’t look like your own 
granny. I’ll be blowed!” 

“ Come now, Hiram, you just get out of 
this,” said Miss Blossom, as Josie exploded 
with a sudden chuckle. “You needn’t be 
looking at what’s done in here, an3rway.” 

“ Thought a cat could look at a king,” 
drawled Hiram. “ Sh’d think I might look 
at a great sight funnier thing.” Then he gave 
vent to a bursting sound, as if a whole mouth- 
ful of laughter flew out of his mouth all at 
once. 

“Now you budge!” said Miss Blossom, 
speaking loudly. 

And Hiram budged, after first pointing a 



“ ‘ WELL, IF YOU don’t LOOK LIKE YOUR OWN GRANNY, 
i’ll be BLOWED ! ’ ” 







JOSIE^S PLACE 


45 


finger at Josie, then reeling forward in silent 
laughter, as if half-dead with amusement. 

Don’t you ever mind Hiram West,’^ Miss 
Blossom said, softly, to Josie. He’s the big- 
gest tease on the footstool, but he’s kind- 
hearted as he can be. Never let him see that 
you care for his teasing, and he’ll soon leave 
you alone.” 

Then Miss Loomis came hurriedly from 
the outer store. Aren’t you most through 
with that child?” she asked; we’re a little 
short of hands outside, and Madame says she 
could go to the counter and sell the five and 
ten cent ribbons as well as anybody. Madame 
wants to come and work on the quillings for 
Miss Ashley’s bonnet.” ' 

Madame herself appeared immediately, all 
ready for the quillings. 

I was just saying,” Miss Loomis began, 
“ that, as soon as Miss Blossom got through 
with this Josie girl, you would like her at the 
narrow ribbon boxes.” 


46 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREE'T 


“ She can go now,” said Miss Blossom. 
“ I’m all through what I wanted to arrange.” 

“ Then come, Josie,” said Madame. “ I’ll 
take a moment to show you how you’ll find 
the prices, and how to measure the ribbons 
that are not done up in bunches. That hat 
looks fine. Miss Blossom.” 

“ Made it easy having a head to fit it to,” 
Miss Blossom answered, as she took the hat 
from Josie’s head. “ There, run along, child, 
and learn how to sell ribbon,,” she added, 
never stopping her work an instant. 

Madame Leroy went with Josie behind the 
counter. 

“ I’m afraid you could scarcely reach to 
sell the ribbons from the glass cases,” she said, 
“ but these boxes of low-priced, narrow rib- 
bons on the end of the counter you can man- 
age with very easily. Now here are the five- 
cent ribbons, and these in the next box are 
the ten-cent ones. The little bunches are all 
five cents each. Measure the others carefully; 
they nearly all come out evenly as to yards 


JOSIE^S PLACE 


47 


and half-yards. Try not to make mistakes. 
Here is a little cash-book in which to put 
down everything you sell. The young lady 
next you will send up the cash-box, and attend 
to making change.” 

I could,” said Josie. 

“ Very well, you can perhaps after I have 
a chance to show you a little more. Be care- 
ful. If you make mistakes, I shall be almost 
sure to know it. Sell everything as marked. 
Don’t talk any more than is necessary. Al- 
ways speak pleasantly.” 

Madame had a way of saying a good deal 
in a few words. But Josie was so very anxious 
to please that she not only paid attention, but 
tried to do exactly as she was told. 


CHAPTER IV. 


QUEER CUSTOMERS 

“ What pretty little ribbons,’^ said a show- 
ily dressed woman, who was fingering the 
different widths in a third large box. They 
were loose pieces to be sold as remnants, and, 
as usual, costing a few cents less a yard than 
had they been taken fresh from the blocks. 

“ Now how much is this? ” she asked, tak- 
ing on a familiar air, as she looked at the 
little salesgirl behind the counter. 

‘^Ten cents a yard,” said Josie; “it used 
to be fifteen.” 

“ How smart you are at it,” giggled the 
woman. “ How much is there in this piece? ” 

Josie measured it. “A yard and a half,” 
she said; “ fifteen cents.” 

“ Oh, come now, sis,” the woman spoke in 
48 


QUEER CUSTOMERS 


49 


a bland, would-be winning manner, “ ITl 
give you ten cents for the whole piece. That’s 
enough for it. Do it up quick now, and they’ll 
think what a smart young seller you are. 
Hurry up! Time’s money, you know.” 

But Josie did not hurry or make any move- 
ment whatever. 

“ The piece is fifteen cents,” she said, softly. 

“My! ain’t you pert,” exclaimed the 
woman, her face changing. “ They won’t 
keep you long, I can tell you! You’re a little 
too smart for your size! ” 

She bounced around angrily, almost bang- 
ing against the manager, Mr. Rockson. 

“What is it, madame?” he asked, with a 
show of polite concern. “ Didn’t you find 
what was wanted? ” 

“Oh, yes,” the woman replied; “I only 
didn’t quite fancy being waited upon by that 
chit of a child over there.” 

Josie’s face flushed painfully, and her eyes 
grew big with fear, as Mr. Rockson strolled 
up to the counter. 


50 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


“ What was wrong with that last cus- 
tomer?” he asked, his voice even, but his 
keen eyes fixed on Josie’s face. 

The poor child’s voice trembled, as she re- 
plied : 

“ Madame told me to sell all the ribbons 
in this box for what they are marked. That 
woman coaxed me to sell this piece of a yard 
and a half, at ten cents a yard, for ten cents. 
She was terribly angry because I wouldn’t, 
but I couldn’t disobey Madame.” 

The manager smiled. 

“ You stick right to that plan of doing pre- 
cisely as you’re told,” he said, “ and you’ll 
get along all right. Never mind the sharpers 
or the sharks.” 

And he was gone. Josie’s heart stopped 
pounding, and her smile was radiant as, after 
that, piece after piece of ribbon was sold, and 
she made her little entries in the cash-book, 
thinking how delightful it was to know she 
had done just right, and to be actually han- 
dling the soft, silken ribbons. 


QUEER CUSTOMERS 


51 


She stayed at the counter until the great 
entrance doors were locked on the inside. It 
was closing time. People inside the store 
were let out as they finished their purchasing, 
but no one was allowed to enter. 

Then Josie was asked to assist a few minutes 
in clearing up the workroom. Mr. Rockson, 
the manager, and Madame Leroy, the fore- 
woman, were talking together. As Josie put 
on her plain, well-worn hat, Madame said 
to her: 

“ Our busiest season is upon us, September 
now, and Christmas will be here almost be- 
fore we can turn around. You have done very 
well this afternoon, and until the end of the 
year we will give you three dollars a week 
to do anything most needed, that is, if you 
continue to follow orders, are willing and 
respectful. Do you think you will try 
it?” 

Josie swallowed hard. “ Oh, yes, it will 
be beautiful, beautiful! I just love this 
place! ” 


52 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


When Madame spoke of Christmas and the 
last of the year, it seemed to Josie’s childish 
mind as if such times were very, very far off. 
Why, here were the flowers blooming just as 
fresh and lovely as in June. The trees and 
shrubs were all dressed in green, and even 
a late robin sang here and there among the 
swaying branches. 

But the young eyes were blind to some 
things that older persons had already noticed. 
The leaves were not all green, some were red, 
some brown, some yellow. And the flowers 
blooming in the gardens were mostly flaming 
in color, either deep reds, vivid yellow, or 
the striped shades of dahlias and asters. All 
of a kind that come late and are the last to 
go. 

But never mind, a very happy, even jubi- 
lant young person went tripping toward Flat 
Street, all the world looking bright to her 
satisfied eyes. 

Once inside her mother’s rooms, however, 
blame and quick words greeted her. 


QUEER CUSTOMERS 


53 


“ Well, miss, I suppose you’ve had a fine 
time of it,” her mother began, running off 
and staying until most dark! I shouldn’t ’a’ 
minded your going out a spell after you got 
cleared away, but to stay the whole living 
afternoon, — well, whatever has come over 
you?” 

For Josie’s face and whole appearance were 
so full of something she had to tell that, in 
the midst of her reproaches, her mother 
stopped to inquire what it all meant. 

‘‘I’ve got work!” piped Josie. 

“ Oh, indeed,” replied her mother, not 
knowing what to make of this announcement. 
“ What kind of work I should like to know? ” 

Then came an account of the afternoon’s 
doings, and the engagement that had been 
made. 

“ Oh, very well,” said her mother, “ you’ve 
been and found a job that may last a little 
while and be good enough as far as it goes, 
but, if you’d begun for the tailors, you might 
have kept on as long as you pleased, besides 


54 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


being able to help at housework. Who’s go- 
ing to help now I’d like to inquire? ” 

“ I can,” said Josie, stoutly. I am to have 
an hour at noon just the same as the others at 
the store, and I can help then, and again at 
night. I’m sure, ma, I should think you’d 
be glad I’d gone and found something for 
myself, seeing I couldn’t be willing to do 
tailor’s work or be a cash-girl.” 

Go eat your supper now,” said Mrs. Bean, 
who did not think it best to praise her smart 
young daughter, no matter how true her 
words might be. 

But, after her plain supper, Josie found 
it hard to clear away. She was so tired, poor 
child, that she could scarcely drag herself 
from the table to the closet and back again, 
as she must do several times. And what was 
unusual, she found herself craving a heartier 
meal than the meagre one set before her. 

“ I hope I’m not going to feel like this at 
night,” she whispered to herself, “ and I 
really wish I had a piece of meat.” 


QUEER CUSTOMERS 


55 


She did not realize that excitement and a 
nervous desire to please had much to do with 
her fatigue, and that regular, pleasant work 
would soon come easier, As for the meat, 
that, too, she could have by a little careful 
management. 

At the store next day, Josie found her duties 
were much the same as the day before. She 
helped a good deal in keeping things straight 
in the workroom, and helped the milliners by 
sitting as a figure, while they swiftly placed 
roses, perched feathers, or tried the effect of 
rolls and billows of lace. She also was very 
useful at the narrow ribbon counter. 

One thing she was generously sorry to no- 
tice. Miss Gleason was not there. “ They’ve 
sent her away,” she murmured, a note of awe 
in the low tones. ‘‘ What a pity that she 
disobeyed.” At noon another young lady had 
slipped into the absent girl’s place. There 
was no danger that Josie would disregard an 
order. 

The days passed quickly and pleasantly, for 


S6 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

Josie was greatly in love with her work, but 
one thing troubled her. She began to long 
greatly to have a better dress than the old 
brown one she had worn so long. She was 
too much given to noticing things, and too 
fond of everything pretty and becoming, not 
to know and feel that her appearance was in 
strong contrast to those about her. 

Madame Leroy was always handsomely 
dressed. The young ladies behind the coun- 
ters looked beautifully to Josie’s eyes, even the 
women in the workroom had tasteful things 
and always looked well dressed. 

One morning, on going to the workroom, 
Josie found some odds and ends of ribbon 
which were too good, she thought, to throw 
away. 

‘‘What shall I do with these?’’ she asked 
Madame. “ Will they do to use for any- 
thing? ” 

“ Oh, no, you can have them,” Madame 
replied, “ and the artificial flowers over in 
that old box are to be thrown away. You 


QUEER CUSTOMERS 


57 


know where the waste hamper is, just outside 
in the back hall.’’ 

Josie was very early that morning. In her 
anxiety never to be late, she had twice been 
to the store when no one but the janitor and 
Hiram were around. Now, during a few 
moments of leisure, she picked away the 
crushed leaves from two white roses, and, 
with needle and thread, fastened them dain- 
tily midst glossy green leaves. These she 
pinned in her hair, catching them in deftly 
at the left side. 

Next she grouped bits of white ribbon, pale 
greens, and pink, which she fastened to the 
yoke of her waist on the right side, and just 
below her crumpled collar. 

When Madame swept into the workroom 
a moment afterward, she exclaimed: 

“ How very pretty those roses look in your 
hair! I think you have shown considerable 
taste in the way you have grouped. them with 
the leaves. And your bow is quite taking, too. 
Let them stay.” 


58 JOSIE bean: flat street 

Oh,” said Josie, “I only poked them in 
my hair for fun, and this bow, it doesn’t match 
my dress.” Then she blushed confusedly, 
knowing that Madame must think her dress 
something dreadful. “ Folks will laugh at 
me,” she added. 

“ No, they won’t,” Madame persisted. 
“ Let them stay just as they are. You’re a 
child yet; if you look as if we had dressed 
you up a little, it won’t matter. The roses 
are small than otherwise; the bow gives you 
‘ quite an air,’ as some of our customers say 
of their hats.” 

Josie forgot both roses and ribbon knot in 
the busy morning that followed, but she had 
no idea of the attraction that the simple things 
lent. Her red-brown eyes were so much the 
color of her hair, and the red and white of 
her complexion went so well with both eyes 
and hair that the white roses and mixed bow 
set her off remarkably for such little things. 

The day was so crowded a one that Ma- 
dame asked Josie at noon if she was willing 


QUEER CUSTOMERS 


59 


to have lunch in the workroom, and not go 
home as usual. 

The child thought that would be great fun, 
and, when she was given chicken sandwiches, 
doughnuts, and warm milk, all she wanted 
of each, she made up her mind that it would 
be grand if Hiram could only bring the 
luncheon to the workroom every day, and she 
enjoy a share of it. 

Not having put on her hat at noon, the 
white roses and knot of ribbons were not dis- 
turbed. Early in the afternoon a young man 
strolled into the store and, getting an eye on 
Josie, went up to the ribbon counter, affect- 
ing to want certain shades of baby ribbons. 

As Josie was showing him different 
bunches, he said, in a low voice: 

“ My dear little miss, I don’t believe you 
have any idea how jaunty you look with those 
white roses in your beautiful hair. And 
where does the pretty kitten live, I wonder? ” 

Now Josie knew almost nothing about the 
great, round world, and how many things 


6o 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


there were in it to learn. She had lived 
closely with her mother, who, even if sharp- 
spoken, was in many respects a sensible 
woman. 

Now there was so much surprise in her 
bright, bronze eyes, as she looked at the young 
fellow, that all she did was to smile faintly, 
sending in the dimples always quick to show 
in her rosy cheeks. 

“Yes, I mean it,’’ said the make-believe 
customer, who was nicely dressed, wore kid 
gloves, and carried a slim cane. “ I know 
the people here, and they think I’m all right, 
so you needn’t be afraid to talk. Where does 
the kitty live, and who is her father, I won- 
der? ” 

“ I have no father,” Josie replied. “ I live 
with my mother on Flat Street.” 

“ And has she ever seen a play, a pretty 
play,” persisted the fellow, “ with the orches- 
tra going, and the lights a-flashing, and every- 
thing gay as the mischief? ” 

It had happened that not long before this 


QUEER CUSTOMERS 


6i 


an older girl of Flat Street had been to a play, 
and, in Josie’s hearing, had given a glowing 
account of the acting, the music, and the 
lights. But for this, Josie would have known . 
almost nothing of what a play meant. After 
this description, however, she had thought 
many times how much she should enjoy such 
a bright and new pleasure. 

And here, all unexpectedly, she was being 
asked if she would not like to see a play. 


CHAPTER V. 


LESSONS 

The young man spoke a little more boldly 
when he found that Josie had no father. 

“No,” she replied, “ I have never been to 
a play, but I heard a girl telling about one 
once, and she said it was splendid.” 

The slight excitement, always delightful to 
Josie, of being at the ribbon counter had lent 
higher color to her cheeks, in which the dim- 
ples came and went, and a fresh sparkle to 
her eyes, while about her forehead fell stray 
curly locks of bronze hair. The little white 
roses nestling in the thicker mass of hair were 
strikingly becoming, and her unaffected man- 
ner lent the charm that simplicity is always 
likely to add to any one’s appearance. 

Being tall for her age, Josie might easily 

62 


LESSONS 


63 


have been taken for a young girl a year or 
two older than she was. 

“ Oh, well now, we must see a play, sure,” 
said the young fellow, whose bright eyes 
Josie thought very fine. And then the way 
he was dressed! She was glad, too, that they 
knew him at the store. And to think of his 
noticing her, in her plain, used-up dress, with 
not even a pretty ruffle around her neck! 

“ Only a bastings girl,” thought Josie. 
“This is a pleasure certainly!” 

Then it appeared that her new acquaintance 
was for making neat plans for her to follow. 

“ Could she put on her little hat and steal 
away to the play to-night? A daisy one it 
is going to be at the Cedar Street Theatre. 
We’ll be at the corner to meet her.” 

“ I’ll ask ma,” said innocent Josie. 

At that moment a lady asked the price of 
some ribbon, and Josie was all attention. 

The young man stood by, casting admiring 
glances at the child’s face, and waiting to say 
something more. The moment Josie was at 


64 JOSIE bean: flat street 

^leisure again, he took up a piece of ribbon 
and pretended to be examining it, while he 
said with tdecision : 

“No, no, no! she mustn’t ask her mother 
anything about it. Isn’t mother pretty stern 
sometimes?” 

“Yes, she is,” admitted Josie. 

“ Well, well, all she must do is to put on 
her hat and coat, and be at the corner of 
Cedar Street at half-past seven. Then the 
next thing, we’ll be at a charming place, and 
after the play there’ll be ice-cream and cake. 
Little girls all like ice-cream and cake. 
Here, I’ll take this bunch of ribbon,” he 
added, as Mr. Rockson wandered by. 

As Josie did up the five-cent bunch of rib- 
bon the fellow had purchased, he added a few 
coaxing, urgent words, and, almost before she 
meant to or knew it, she had consented to meet 
him in the evening, and go with him to see 
the play. 

She was in a flutter of surprise, bewilder- 
ment, and delight when Madame Leroy came 


LESSONS 


65 


up to the counter. Two ladies were buying 
narrow ribbons, and Madame waited until 
they had gone. Then she asked soberly and 
directly : 

Josie, what did that young man say to you 
who was here a minute ago?” 

For the first time it shot through Josie’s 
mind that perhaps she should not have talked 
with the young man as she did, or that per- 
haps he should not have talked to her during 
business hours. She flushed, and for an in- 
stant looked confused. 

“ I want to know exactly what he said,” 
Madame repeated, in her straight, strict tones. 

Josie repeated every word that had been 
said. It was plain as daylight that she told 
the exact truth. 

Madame Leroy looked thoughtful. I 
hope,” she began, “ it was not a mistake to 
have so young a girl come away from her 
mother when she might have stayed at home 
and worked there. Josie, no man, young or 
old, should ever ask any girl, especially a 


66 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


very young one, to go with him anywhere 
without her mother’s permission. It is not 
a good young man, it is the wrong kind of 
a one who will ask a young stranger to go 
with him to any place, and particularly in 
the evening.” 

“ I won’t go,” said Josie, eagerly, “ if I 
hadn’t ought to.” 

“ Did it seem right to you to say you would 
go with him without letting your mother 
know it? Tell me truly, did it? ” 

Josie looked perplexed. “Why, I didn’t 
know what to say,” she replied, with evident 
honesty. “No one ever asked me to go to 
a place before, and I didn’t think much about 
ma, I was so taken up with thinking about 
the play. Oh, and he said he knew the people 
here, so it would be all right. I didn’t mean 
to do anything wrong.” 

Madame could not help seeing that Josie 
had indeed meant to do nothing wrong. She 
was dazzled by the fine appearing person, 
the compliments, and the unexpected invita- 


LESSONS 


67 


tion that had come suddenly, and found her 
too unsuspecting to see any danger, or to 
realize the mistake she was making. 

‘‘ Very well,” she said, I think you have 
told me the truth, but, if you stay here, you 
must promise one thing.” 

‘‘Oh, I will; I’ll promise anything you 
want me to,” said Josie, eagerly. 

“ On no account are you to go anywhere 
with a young man, or with one of our older 
girls, without your mother’s permission, and 
if any stranger invites you anywhere when 
you are in the store, you are to tell me all 
about it.” 

“I will! I will!” 

“ We know nothing about that silly young 
man who talked with you. He told a false- 
hood when he said we did. Now to-night 
I want you to tell your mother all about this 
affair.” 

“ Yes, I will.” 

“ And it is not best,” Madame went on, 
“ ever to have much to say to customers, es- 


68 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


pecially boys or men. Be pleasant and polite, 
but not talkative.” 

“ ril do just as you say,” replied anxious 
Josie. 

It may be well here to say that Mr. Rock- 
son went that evening at half-past seven to 
the corner of Cedar Street, and, seeing the 
young fellow who had talked with Josie com- 
ing along, he went toward him, and suddenly 
taking him by the coat collar, he said: 

“ See here, you young scamp, if ever I catch 
you in my store again talking with a strange 
young girl. I’ll chase you out with your own 
cane! Do you understand? ” 

There was some muttering and sputtering, 
and the great overgrown boy — for he was 
scarcely more — was glad to wriggle away 
from Mr. Rockson’s strong grasp, but his 
collar was in no condition to go to a play or 
anywhere else, except his own room. And 
that was where he was glad enough to go and 
reflect on the fact that, although that pretty 


LESSONS 


69 


young milliner girl had no father, there were 
other sensible, resolute people in the world 
who were not going to see her made a little 
goose of, or be led into sly actions. 

And poor Josie! Such a scolding as she 
got on telling her mother the story. She al- 
most wished she had not promised to tell it. 
So different were her mother’s hard words 
of blame from Madame’s calm yet decided 
talk. 

Nevertheless, Josie had learned a very im- 
portant lesson. So had the foolish fellow that 
had Mr. Rockson to deal with. 

The fall was slipping by; Thanksgiving 
had come and gone. Leaves were scarce 
enough outside now, the garden flowers all 
gone, and the great rush and push of Christ- 
mas shopping was in full tide. 

Josie, who had never had any real idea of 
what Christmas shopping meant until now, 
was full of business and pride, making her- 
self so useful in the store that Madame one 


70 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


day filled the child’s heart with delight by 
saying: 

“ I really do not see how we could get along 
without you.” 

One moment she was straightening things 
in the workroom so the women could find the 
needed material without having to search the 
crowded table, the next she would “ lend her 
head,” as Miss Blossom called it, while the 
effect of some trimming on a hat was tried. 
Then the ribbon counter would need her at- 
tention, or it might be she sold a cheap hat , 
to some woman who wanted to bargain in a 
hurry for herself or perhaps for a child. 

Meantime, Josie had been very saving of 
her money, and had bought a remarkably 
pretty dress of navy blue, with stars and an- 
chors embroidered in crimson silk on the 
sleeves and the dressy little lapels of the col- 
larette. Madame Leroy had also made it easy 
for her to have a large, becoming hat of dark 
blue beaver with wide crimson satin bows. 

One day when it rained pouring, and busi- 


LESSONS 


71 


ness was slack, Madame came upon Josie, 
who had been putting remnants of ribbon in 
two large boxes. She had half-folded them, 
leaving out an end of each, giving the effect 
of huge rosettes, but arranged with a fine 
eye for harmony in placing the different 
colors. 

‘‘Why, how pretty that looks!” Madame 
exclaimed, in sudden surprise, and lingering 
a moment to admire the fanciful grouping. 

“ I love to touch them,” Josie said, beam- 
ing with gratification. A word of praise from 
Madame was always a joy. 

“ I think we shall have to make a young 
milliner of you one of these days,” Madame 
said, as she passed along. 

Now, strange as it may seem, Josie felt a 
distinct little stab of unwillingness or shrink- 
ing when Madame spoke of her becoming a 
milliner. 

“ Why, what do I expect? ” she asked her- 
self. “ What made me feel that way at what 
Madame said?” 


72 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


Yet there it was, that feeling of unwilling- 
ness to think of herself as a milliner. 

She did not stop to think it out: how 
pleased and satisfied she had felt when Ma- 
dame praised the arrangement of the ribbons, 
nor did she even know that it took an artist’s 
eye to assort colors with such unerring taste 
as she had shown. 

One day, at the first of December, Mr. 
Rockson looked troubled and annoyed, and 
Madame Leroy was thoughtful and absorbed, 
as if casting about in her mind the question 
of what could be done as to some important 
matter. 

A new lot of artificial flowers, ribbons, and 
feathers had come the day before, and the 
boxes stood ready to have their lovely contents 
displayed. Josie was carrying material that 
had been ordered for hats from the store to 
the workroom, when she heard Miss Loomis 
say: 

“Only think what a pity! Mango is sick 


LESSONS 


73 


and can’t come. Mr. Rockson is awfully cut 
up about it! ” 

“ Who is Mango? ” Josie asked, in her soft, 
half-timid way. 

“ He’s a decorator, a man half-French, 
half-English,” Miss Loomis replied; “ knows 
just how to fix up a window to make it a bower 
of bloom. The goods are all here waiting, 
but no Mango to dress the show-window with 
them.” 

“ Can’t they get some one else? ” asked in- 
nocent Josie. “ I should think almost any one 
could make a garden if they had all the flow- 
ers and leaves,” and she laughed at her own 
easy-going speech. 

Miss Loomis smiled. Indeed, and there’s 
where you’re greatly mistaken,” she said, 
knowingly. ‘‘ It is one of the fine arts now- 
adays to arrange a show-window, and it takes 
one kind of an artist to do it. Then it’s close 
upon Christmas, and not a spare decorator 
to be had, no matter what the house would 


74 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


pay. It is a great misfortune,” she added, 
“ that Mango should give out just now.” 

Wherever Josie went that day, and what- 
ever she was doing, the flowers, the ribbons, 
and the feathers in the closed boxes seemed 
to be actually calling her. In fact, if there 
was such a thing as being bewitched, it would 
seem correct to say that Josie was bewitched, 
and that it was those beguiling, waiting, un- 
opened boxes that were casting the bewitch- 
ing spell. 

At length she made up her mind to ask a 
strange and desperate thing. Her fingers 
fairly twitched to handle those beautiful, ex- 
quisite things. When the thought first 
loomed dimly, she put it from her as too 
foolish and presuming to be allowed. But 
come it would, and she could not drive it 
away. 

She kept picturing certain groupings and 
arrangements, and the figures grew, and the 
fancies took fine and graceful shapes without 
the least efifort on her part, until a tall, impet- 


LESSONS 


75 


uous child flew up to Madame Leroy and 
gasped out: 

“ O Madame, please might I come awful 
early to-morrow morning and decorate the 
flower window? Please, I’ve got some figures 
all in my mind, and, if Hiram could come 
with the step-ladder, and I could have a cov- 
ered box for the centre, I know I could fix 
up something pretty. I’d cover the box with 
red satin, then I’d want some lace to put in 
rows around the edge like the Dutch picture, 
and I’d get the right shades of ribbon to- 
gether, and know just where to peep out the 
feathers. Oh, please, Madame, would you 
and Mr. Rockson let me try? ” 

Madame listened in wonder to the pleading 
child. Never had Josie said so much all at 
once before. She had been timid and shy, 
but now the words had actually tumbled out 
of her mouth in her earnest, burning desire to 
do as she asked. 

Madame actually forgot to be amused in 
her astonishment at Josie’s unheard-of request. 


CHAPTER VI. 


THE SHOW-WINDOW 

“ What did you mean by the lace in the 
Dutch picture?” was the first question Ma- 
dame asked when Josie stopped speaking. 

My father painted it,” Josie replied; “ it 
is a picture of a ‘ Dutch interior ’ we call it. 
The fringe falls from the mantel-scarf beau- 
tifully, and I always love to watch the way 
the pattern of the lace looks that droops over 
the edge of the table. It is all lovely.” 

“ Then your father was an artist? ” Ma- 
dame asked. 

Yes’m, he painted lots of pictures, but ma 
sold them all except the Dutch interior.” 

Madame said “Aha!” and looked as if 
something had been explained that she had 
wondered about. 


76 


THE SHOW - WINDOW 


77 


As to the window,” she went on, speaking 
slowly, “ a child of your age has no idea how 
much it means to really decorate. When the 
great mass of ribbons, feathers, and flowers 
were spread out, which we should wish to 
have shown, you would be so bewildered as 
not to know where to begin, what to take first, 
how to proceed, in what way to dispose of 
half of them.” 

“ I’ve seen it all in my own mind,” per- 
sisted Josie, trembling at her own daring, 
“ and I know how the window has looked ever 
so many times, and ma says that I can carry 
colors in my eye. I know how I want it to 
look, and, if I could have Hiram, and a box 
for a centrepiece, and the satin and lace I 
want, I could fix it lovely. I know I could.” 

Well, now, go and see what Miss Blossom 
wants. See, she is beckoning to you. A child 
not thirteen may fancy she knows how to dec- 
orate a great show-window, but to actually 
do it would be a very different thing,” and 
Madame swept coolly away. 


78 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Poor Josie, disappointed and unhappy, she 
only wished she could get down behind Miss 
Blossom’s chair and have a good, hard cry. 

“If she would only try me!” she kept 
thinking, as Madame’s calm, decided words 
kept coming into mind. 

While Josie was measuring off some stiff 
silk cardinal ribbon, cutting 'it into pieces 
each three-quarters of a yard in length, and 
thinking it was about the shade she wanted 
for her centrepiece, Madame Leroy was hav- 
ing a singular talk with Mr. Rockson. 

“ It seems perfectly absurd,” Madame was 
saying, “ that so young a girl should have 
fixed ideas about such a thing as artistic dec- 
oration. But here we are with no one but 
our own hands to do anything, and as sure as 
three or four different ones begin to rig up 
a show-window, they will make a muddle 
that will be something dreadful to look upon. 

“ The child has a fine touch at things be- 
yond a doubt. Her father, it appears, was 
an artist, a painter, and she has it in her to 


THE SHOW-WINDOW 


79 


make things look very pleasingly. She puts 
a flower in her hair, and it is perched per- 
fectly. She groups ribbons in a box in a way 
to at once attract attention.” 

Mr. Rockson’s keen eyes drew up in an 
amused smile, as if a whimsical idea had sud- 
denly taken possession of him. 

“ Suppose we make an experiment of neces- 
sity,” he said. “ Put Mam’selle Josie in the 
window to-morrow morning, with Hiram, 
the step-ladder, and samples of our choice 
array of Christmas finery, ribbons, posies, and 
plumes. We can add a small packing-box to 
turn over and cover with satin, and let her 
have the lace she wants. A sheet can be put 
before the window, as she cannot work in the 
night, as men do. Then let mam’selle have 
all day if she wants it to do her fanciful dec- 
orating. She may surprise us. 

‘‘ ril telephone Simms,” he added, “ to 
come immediately with a box of evergreens, 
and cover the corners and chandelier and 
such spaces as he thinks best, leaving enough 


So JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

for mam’selle to cover the floor with the last 
thing. I’ll give orders to have the window 
cleared and cleaned at once.” 

In a few moments, Hiram, the janitor, and 
Mr. Rockson himself were at work removing 
everything from the principal show-window, 
and a vigorous cleaning and polishing of glass 
was soon begun. 

Josie, going to and fro, saw the beginning 
of the change, and said to herself: 

“ They have got a decorator, after all. 
Well, I’ll just study over what he does, and 
perhaps sometime I can dress up a window, 
if I can’t now.” 

A grand trait that: holding on to a purpose 
as Josie did, but she little dreamed of the 
great joy in store for her. 

The window was scarcely cleaned when a 
man came in, carrying a large wooden box, 
which he put down near the show-window. 
Then it was not long before some corner posts, 
the chandelier, and portions of the sides of 
the window were prettily decked with fresh, 


THE SHOW - WINDOW Si 

curly evergreen. The sweet smell of the 
green creeper was all through the store, as 
Madame Leroy called Josie to her. Madame 
spoke with her usual crispness: 

“To-morrow, Josie, we are going to let 
you decorate the window according to your 
own idea. Come early. Hiram will be at 
your service as long as you want him. The 
window will be screened from sight by a 
white cloth at the front, and by strips of paper 
on the inside leaves, as you will not want cus- 
tomers to see you at work. You need not feel 
nervous, hurried, or afraid. If we are not 
satisfied, no harm will have been done. I 
think the box in which the evergreens came 
will do for your centrepiece. You shall have 
the red satin you want, also both web and 
edge lace. That is all. Follow your own 
plan, and I shall expect that you will do 
well.” 

Josie was in a dream all the rest of the day. 
Her face simply would not stay straight. She 
dimpled so continually that even Miss 


82 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


Loomis, the “ crack ’’ trimmer, said, with a 
hasty glance at her face: 

“ I do declare, Santa Claus must have writ- 
ten you a letter, saying he was going to bring 
you a big bag of gold.” 

“ It’s something better than that,” smiled 
Josie. 

“ Lauk ’a’ mercy on me! ” croaked Hiram, 
who had just received his own instructions. 
“ She and me is goin’ to rig up the old ship 
amazin’, spar, deck, and hull, all that lies 
for’ards in the windy-show. You’ll never 
know the place to-morrow; banners, stream- 
ers, and billers o’ flowers will be ours — will 
be ours!” 

Josie cared never a flip for the boy’s ban- 
ter, but went home, not to close her eyes until 
midnight, because of the pictures that rose 
before her eyes. Pictures in which she saw 
the show-window looking just as she wanted 
it to look on the morrow. 

Silently, slowly, but steadily, the young girl 
went to work the next morning. Hiram, see- 


THE SHOW - WINDOW 


83 


ing her mood, and understanding that she 
wanted to think of what she was about, quitted 
all teasing and did exactly as she directed. 

Nor was it long before Hiram came to the 
conclusion that Josie was working out a plan 
that was clearly in her mind at the outset. 
To his surprise, she went about the centre- 
piece first; that was her objective or chief 
point. Working out and up from that, she 
carried out her pattern, and a surprising one 
it was. 

Shortly before three o’clock in the after- 
noon, Josie stepped out from the window, 
Hiram/ with the step-ladder, having emerged 
an hour earlier. Then for half an hour the 
child worked on the floor of the window. At 
the end of that time all the screens were re- 
moved, and Josie announced to Madame that 
her window was complete. 

“ I must see it from the outside first,” said 
Madame. 

She slipped on her cloak and hat, and Mr. 


84 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

Rockson also put on his coat and hat, and 
they stepped outside. 

It is wonderful! Yes, wonderful, truly 
wonderful!” 

Mr. Rockson repeated himself, not notic- 
ing how he expressed his surprise and appro- 
bation. 

Madame Leroy stood gazing in mute sur- 
prise. The great window was like a festive 
bower, a bower that might have been trimmed 
by the Christmas pixies themselves. When 
Madame spoke, it was in her usual deliberate 
manner, saying but a few words, yet those 
few holding a good deal of meaning: 

“ I call that a picture without a flaw.” 

They soon found themselves the centre of 
a crowd that had gathered about the window, 
and also found it amusing to listen to the com- 
ments of people who had stopped to gaze. 

“ I’ll bet there’s dollars in that trick o’ dis- 
play,” said a smart-looking young fellow to 
a friend. “ I know something about how 


THE SHOW - WINDOW 85 

much it costs to scrump up a show-window 
in that fashion.” 

Then, from a fashionably dressed woman 
to a younger companion: 

“ Now did you ever see things arranged 
more cutely in your life! I call that skill.” 

And cutely arranged they were. Josie had 
shown the outcropping of the genuine artist 
in the way she had blended, matched, and con- 
trasted, while showing the different goods to 
the best advantage. 

The centrepiece, resembling a small table, 
was covered with crimson satin of just the 
right shade. Deep white lace edgings were 
caught on straight to the satin, showing the 
handsome patterns, being fulled only at the 
corners. The whole design or plan radiated 
out from the grand central figure. Blocks of 
ribbon in pyramids were built on it, the ends 
being carried across to the corners, then gath- 
ered and fastened against the evergreen, giv- 
ing the effect of rows of fluted pillars of mixed 
and gorgeous sheen. 


86 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


Yet they were matched in shades of three, 
as red, white, and blue; pink, yellow, and 
green; violet, white, and amber. 

There were also folds of web lace rising 
from just back of the centrepiece to the chan- 
delier, and brought together by clumps of 
feathers in nearly every color of the rainbow, 
while flowers in sprays and garlands crossed 
the cascades of ribbons and plumed lace, and 
flowers with their leaves were clumped about 
in spaces on the table, and above it at the 
edges of the hanging lace, giving the whole 
central figure the effect of a huge rosette. 

In each corner on the floor was a rosette of 
narrow ribbons, feather tips, and small flow- 
ers, while along the floor, which was covered 
with evergreen, bright flowers were strewn 
with careless, unstudied grace. 

Few persons passed without stopping to ad- 
mire the rare display, and trade was brisk, 
as many were lured into the great store, there 
to find that prices were set to accommodate 
both large and small purses. 


CHAPTER VIL 


papa’s advice 

JOSIE was carefully sorting ribbons and 
feathers she found in the workroom, when 
Madame Leroy appeared. The girl’s face 
was so full of anxious questioning that the 
kind-hearted woman hastened to say: 

“You have done well, Josie, very, very 
well, and will receive extra payment for your 
day’s work.” 

“ Oh, but I don’t want any extra pay if 
only you and Mr. Rockson are satisfied,” said 
Josie, her face flushing with pleasure at Ma- 
dame’s praises. “ I liked it better than any- 
thing I ever did before,” she added, “ and I’d 
decorate for nothing any time you wanted 
me to.” 

Madame laughed. “ We don’t have work 
87 


88 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


of that kind done very often,” she replied; 
“ neither should we allow you to do it with- 
out pay.” 

Then Madame asked, suddenly: 

Do you save any of your money, Josie? ” 

“ Oh, yes’m. I take it all home to ma, and 
what I don’t have to buy me things with, she 
keeps in a china mug way up high in the 
closet. I’ve got five dollars saved, but I buy 
my clothes, and I have to have more meat 
since I worked.” 

“ That is very nice,” Madame said. “ It 
is much better not to spend all the money you 
receive, if some of it can be saved.” 

Madame had secretly hoped that Josie’s 
mother did not insist on using a great part 
of what the child ‘earned, and was glad to 
find that she did not. Then, to Josie’s sur- 
prise, she added: 

“ At the first of the year we intend to begin 
paying you five dollars a week, as we consider 
it is fully earned. You are able to help now 
in various ways both in the store and the work- 


papa’s advice 


room, besides selling more and more at the 
counters, as well as a hat or a bonnet occa- 
sionally.” 

Of course, Josie was delighted at the pros- 
pect of this rise in her fortunes. 

As Christmas approached, she was sur- 
prised to find how many things were bought 
at the milliner’s to be used in the manufacture 
of Christmas presents. 

Ribbons of every grade and hue were sold 
by blocks, or reeled off by yards, to be used 
on fancy aprons, bags of nearly every descrip- 
tion, in dressing dolls, ornamenting sofa pil- 
lows, decking work-baskets and toilet articles, 
in making no end of fancy knots for neckwear 
both for people and for bottles, and also for 
pet dogs and pussies. 

A very busy, very willing, a happy, and a 
pretty young creature was Josie these days. 
And yet, down in her heart was a growing 
feeling of discontent. She was far too quick 
and too bright not to learn a good deal in 
this brisk, new life. So she began to grow 


90 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


more and more out of tune with her past life 
and the way that she had lived. She dreaded 
to think of Flat Street. The people of the 
precinct, coarse, ignorant, and untidy, had 
never pleased her. Now she began wishing 
that her mother could live in a different 
neighborhood. But she knew she must be pa- 
tient. 

One day, a large, flashily dressed woman, 
red-faced and loud-voiced, came into the 
store, and went up to a square table on which 
were several stands holding trimmed hats and 
bonnets. 

Every one else was so busy that the woman, 
who seemed puffed up with importance, ap- 
peared glad to have Josie ask if there was any- 
thing she could show her. 

Pointing to a tasteful, beautifully made 
hat of light brown velvet, with rich plumes 
shading from a golden brown almost to a 
seal tint, she asked: 

“ What will they take for a hat like that, 
sis, do you know? ” 



“ ‘ WHAT WILL THEY TAKE FOR A HAT LIKE THAT, SIS, 

DO YOU KNOW ? ’ ” 





papa’s advice 


91 


It is fifteen dollars,” Josie replied. 

“ Oh, you go ’long,” said the woman, airily. 
“ I guess ’tisn’t worth any such price as 
that.” 

“Yes, it really is,” said Josie, politely. 
“ It was seventeen dollars yesterday, but they 
marked it down this morning. The material 
is all the best. I think it’s lovely.” 

“ Yes, it does look tol’rable fine,” the 
woman admitted, “ but, if I bought it, I s’pose 
the feathers could be changed or fixed to suit 
me.” 

“Y-e-s,” said Josie, reluctantly, “but it is 
so beautiful and everything matches so per- 
fectly, don’t you think it would be too bad to 
alter it? ” 

“ Oh, don’t tell llie! ” exclaimed the woman, 
rudely, as she pulled ofi her kid gloves, show- 
ing thick fingers loaded with jewelled rings. 
“ I’ve bought fancy hats long before ever you 
saw daylight, and know what’s what by this 
time. Now, if I bought this,” — she was 
twirling the hat around and around, — “I 


92 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


should have some of those vari’gated feathers 
pushed up and some green ones mixed in.” 

“Green?” gasped Josie. 

“ Yes’m, green! IVe got a brown silk and 
a green silk Fm wearing this winter, and I 
calc’late to wear the hat with either gown 
and have it match. Have you got any green 
feathers? Pretty good ones I want.” 

“ Yes, ril show you some,” said Josie, feel- 
ing as if it was going to be almost a sin to 
spoil that exquisite hat by putting green 
feathers on the brown. 

“ How hideous it will be,” thought the 
child. 

But in a moment she was holding up 
bunches of green feathers, beautiful of them- 
selves, yet spoiling the rich shades of brown 
to her artistic eyes. 

“ Now, s’pose you see what it’ll cost to have 
this clump tucked on,” said the woman, hand- 
ing Josie a tuft of the green shaded feathers. 

There were actual groans in the workroom 
when Josie appeared, the brown velvet hat 


papa’s advice 


93 


and green plumes in hand, asking what it 
would cost to mix them. 

“ Tell her it will cost a pang and a snicker 
and almost a fit,” said Miss Loomis, looking 
ruefully at the beautiful hat she had fashioned 
with much care and skill. 

But customers must be pleased, no matter 
how ridiculous their requirements, and so 
Josie was told what the extra trimmings 
would cost. 

“ She isn’t a-goin’ for to have the green 
bobbies scrumped right on along o’ the others, 
is she?” asked Hiram, who was almost sure 
to appear just as some queer or absurd thing 
or other happened to come up. 

“ Yes, she is,” said Josie, nodding and smil- 
ing, as if enjoying Hiram’s disgust. 

Cracky! ” cried the boy. “ Ask her why 
she doesn’t have some red pinks and ’Merican 
Beauty roses, and a pot or two o’ yellow chrys- 
anth’ums stuck on — ” 

But Josie had passed through the portieres^ 
and was immediately talking with the woman. 


94 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

The order was given and her customer de- 
parted. 

Then a much younger woman appeared. 
She, too, was showily dressed, and had the 
air of a person who cared more for things 
that glittered and shone than for what was 
choice. 

A great hat on a form at the back of the 
store took her eye. It was covered with lace 
and a mixture of flowers. Miss Blossom had 
laughed when the hat was trimmed, saying 
she had used on it odds and ends all well 
matched as to loudness, and was meant for 
my Lady Highfly. The lace was coarse and 
the flowers enormous. 

The girl haggled for some time over the 
price, but finally bought the hat. 

“ Why don’t you — 

“ Have a little bonnet, 

With a flower-garden on it ? ’ ” 

hummed Hiram, as he strolled by where 
Josie stood watching the satisfied young 
woman as she bore away her gorgeous prize. 


papa’s advice 


95 


But these were one kind of customers, and 
there were many others. Ladies came who 
were so hard to suit that Josie, who sold vari- 
ous things during these crowded days, won- 
dered if they would ever find what they 
wanted. She wondered if others really knew 
what they did want. And still again, there 
were those who, after examining about every- 
thing in sight, and asking for prices and nu- 
merous samples, went away buying never a 
penny’s worth, nor did they return. 

Josie, however, was quick to notice some 
things. It was the well-dressed ladies, who 
spoke correctly, whose gloves fitted beauti- 
fully, and who appeared as if used to the 
best of things, that liked fine yet quiet goods, 
must match with exactness the colors they 
brought to match, and who wanted tasteful, 
becoming, but never overtrimmed hats or 
bonnets. 

These, too, were the ladies who spoke as 
politely to her, Josie Bean, as they would to 


96 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Madame Leroy, or to one of their own chil- 
dren. 

One afternoon, late, and near closing time, 
Madame found Josie perched on a stool at 
the back of the store, looking so dejected that 
she asked, kindly: 

“ What is it? Has anything gone wrong? ” 

“N-o,” said Josie, not smiling, “only I 
wish I could be like some folks.” 

“What folks? Those who appear to have 
a good deal of money? ” 

“No, not those at all,” said Josie, shaking 
her head in denial, “ but I was thinking that 
— that — ” she paused in confusion. 

“ Go right on,” Madame said, with an 
encouraging smile. “ You were thinking 
what? ” 

“That folks were just like pictures,” Josie 
blurted out. “ Some are fine in all there is 
of them, others are horrid. I love a picture 
full of nice things, nothing out of color, or 
common, or mean; but I hate flaunty things, 
all daubs and mixed shades. Folks are that 


papa’s advice 


97 


way, too. Some are all made up of fine, deli- 
cate ways, like nice tints, will have things to 
match, and are made fine. I wish I’d been 
born a lady! ” 

Just for a minute, Josie plunged her face 
in her hands, and gave a good, round sob. 
She was tired, poor child, but, after all, that 
was not what ailed her, although she would 
not so soon have given way had she not been 
tired. 

Truth was, she had nearly all her short life, 
as has already been shown, been out of keep- 
ing with her circumstances and surroundings, 
and the more she saw of the right kind of 
people, the more she felt it. 

Madame understood. In her crisp, decided 
way, she said a few sensible words that were 
to help the young girl more than she imag- 
ined. 

“Now, Josie,” she began, “ I want to tell 
you one thing. Probably you do not know it, 
but there is a fine part in your nature that 
makes you like fine things, and shrink from 


98 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


what is coarse or common. The fact that 
your father was an artist has something to 
do with it. You cannot help liking the nice 
things, or disliking what is out of keeping 
with the best appearance both of people and 
the clothes they wear. It is born in you. 
And to some extent it is a good thing. 

‘‘But listen: be patient with every one, 
with the people of queer tastes and queer 
ideas, yet be determined to have everything 
of your own just as tasteful, as proper, and 
as attractive as you can. That means manners, 
speech, dress, and all that belongs to you per- 
sonally, or has to do with just you yourself.” 

“ But I live in such a mean place,” said 
Josie. 

“ Never mind that, child, only try one of 
these days to live in a better place.” 

Josie all at once looked at Madame so 
strangely, so intently, and with so much in 
her eyes, that Madame asked: 

“ What is it? There is something in your 
mind you want to say. You can trust me.” 


papa’s advice 


99 


Josie raised her eyes without lifting her 
drooped head, and almost whispered: 

“ I wish ma was different.” 

That was hard. Madame looked puzzled. 
And puzzled she felt how best to answer. 
That a child should be ashamed of her own 
mother was pitiful. That she should have 
just cause for feeling ashamed of her was still 
more to be deplored. Quiet people, however, 
are often wise. Those who think before they 
speak are likely at last to say the right thing. 
Madame began gently and thoughtfully: 

‘‘Try, Josie, never to be ashamed of your 
mother. It is a great mistake for any child 
or woman, boy or man, to be ashamed of a 
respectable parent, and your mother is re- 
spectable, I have no doubt.” 

“ Oh, yes, ma is respectable,” Josie ad- 
mitted, but her face was still sober and down- 
cast. 

“ I am sorry you feel as you do,” Madame 
went on, “ and I am going to speak plainly. 
It seems to me right that I should. I feel it 


lOO 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


within me that you are going to get on in the 
world, and I hope you will. Now, try to raise 
your mother up if you can, but never, never 
be ashamed to speak of her, to own her, or to 
let people know just who she is. Believe me, 
Josie, you will gain far more respect from 
right-minded people by always being staunch 
and true to your mother than you ever would 
by trying to set her aside, or what we call 
ignoring her.” 

Josie, who was drinking in every word she 
heard, began picking at a thread in her sleeve, 
and almost whimpered, as she replied: 

“ But I do so like the fine ladies with soft, 
lovely voices, that speak to me as if I was a 
little nice, too. I don’t ever mean to be un- 
kind about ma, but I wish we belonged to 
other kinds of folks — Madame Leroy,” she 
said, suddenly, interrupting her own speech, 
“ what do you s’pose makes me want and like 
these things? Ma doesn’t.” 

“ Oh, we can’t always explain the differ- 
ences that exist in people,” Madame replied. 


papa’s advice 


lOI 


judiciously. “ You know what I have just 
said as to your having your father’s tastes to 
some extent. Your mother has probably had 
a hard time, remember. She has had to earn 
her own living and take care of her little girl 
for several years. Her mind has had to be 
filled with what we call the great bread-and- 
butter question, and there doubtless has not 
been much time to think of anything else.” 

“ That doesn’t make any difference,” sagely 
returned Josie. “ If ma was one of the soft- 
speaking kind, she’d speak low even if she 
was poor and worked. She speaks loud and 
rough to me, and I answer rude to her, but 
I hate it.” 

Madame smiled. “ Don’t you think, 
Josie,” she said, putting her head a little one 
side and looking cornerwise at the young girl 
in a cheery way, “ that, if you always spoke 
in a proper, ladylike way to your mother, she 
would soon begin to speak in that way her- 
self? ” 

No, I don’t,” said Josie, bluntly but hon- 


102 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


estly. “ I think she would just laugh at me, 
and scold at what she would call my fancy- 
fine airs. I know she would! ’’ 

Madame sighed. “ I wish you would try 
it,” she said. 

“ Yes, I will, ril try it,” Josie replied, with 
a hopeless air. 

Madame added a few more words: “I 
think it is perhaps my duty to advise and 
encourage you to do the very best for your- 
self you possibly can. You are very young 
as yet, a mere child, and life is nearly all be- 
fore you. Climb upward, as far as you can. 
It is unfortunate that you cannot go to school, 
but that being out of the question, do your 
best, both at home and in the store, and you 
will find that, wherever one is determined 
to get up higher in life, they are likely to 
succeed. Perhaps you will feel better for 
having had this little talk.” 

“Yes, I shall,” said Josie, brightening. 
“ And ril be good to ma, and try to get her 
up, too.” 


papa’s advice 


103 


Then, as if a memory was slowly struggling 
to come into the light, she said, dreamily: 

“ I remember now that my papa told me 
once to do the best I could for myself, for I 
would have to if ever I wanted to get up in 
the world. Yes, papa did, he told me that.” 

“ Then follow papa’s advice,” said Ma- 
dame. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


AN INVITATION 

“ How very prettily this table is arranged. 
It is really quite a pleasure to look at it.” 

A handsomely dressed, fine-looking lady 
stood beside a table which Josie had jauntily 
decked early in the morning. 

The arrangement was simple enough, yet 
there was something in its very simplicity to 
render it attractive. Some of the loose evjer- 
greens left from the window trimmings were 
laid on the table and twined around the white 
hat-stands. Pieces of narrow ribbon were 
banded around the stands, between the rows 
of evergreen, and tied in natty little bows. 

Then artificial flowers, all in bright tints, 
peeped at spaces from the green carpet on 
the table, while mere ends of ribbons were 


AN INVITATION 


105 


squeezed together, tied in the centre with in- 
visible strings, and stuck, ends up, here, there, 
and everywhere. 

It was a mimic garden of bright colors, 
creepers, and climbers, tasteful and cheery 
on the cold and cheerless day. 

The lady who had seemed forced to speak 
of the blooming table had been buying sev- 
eral blocks of ribbons of different colors. 
Her rich dress and easy manner of buying 
showed Madame Leroy, who happened to 
have waited upon her, that she had money 
to spend freely either for wants or wishes. 
And, in fact, Madame knew her for a good 
and desirable customer. 

With all her ease and good looks, however, 
there had been an anxious look to the lady’s 
face until at sight of the pleasing table her 
face had brightened. “ Some one who has 
the right eye and the right touch did that,” 
she added. 

“ Yes,” said Madame, “ we have with us a 
very young girl at present, who has the knack 


io6 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


of giving the right effect to nearly everything 
she touches. It is surprising, but she actually 
dressed up our Christmas window this year. 
The one with the small goods in it.” 

“Why!” exclaimed the lady, “ is it possi- 
ble? I took a long look at the window before 
I came in, and thought how beautifully it 
looked. A very young girl, did you say? ” 

“ Yes, she is not yet quite in her teens. But 
she is tall for her age and might be taken for 
an older child. There she stands over by that 
counter.” 

The lady looked attentively at Josie a mo- 
ment or two. 

“ She is very pretty,” she remarked, “ and 
what a distinct style there is about her. She 
is going to be beautiful.” 

“ Yes, her father was an artist, and it is 
plain to see she inherits his fine eye and ‘ sense 
of fitness,’ as we sometimes call it. Poor 
Josie,” Madame added, “ she is beginning to 
long for things that are way up beyond her 
reach.” 


AN INVITATION 


107 


I suppose she is poor,” said the lady, 
rather carelessly, as she went about other pur- 
chases. Then, her errands done, she went 
away. 

It happened that Josie was standing near 
one of the windows when the coachman, who 
had been walking his horses up and down, 
not to keep them standing in the keen air, 
dashed up to the curb before the store, and 
the richly dressed lady got into the carriage. 

She stopped to give an order first, however, 
and Josie got a glimpse of her face. In that 
instant she noticed how attractively her thick 
hair was lowered a little to one side, then 
rolled away in a glossy coil. 

“ I wish, when I get older, I could roll 
my hair away just like that,” thought beauty- 
loving Josie. 

But there was little time for dreaming. 
Christmas was barely a week distant, and the 
store was filled with eager customers from 
opening to closing hours. 

When Josie had been handed her pay at 


io8 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


the end of the previous week, what was her 
surprise to find a crisp ten-dollar bill added 
to the usual sum. 

“ It is partly a Christmas gift,” Madame 
explained, smiling at the young girl’s amazed 
face, “ but chiefly for decorating the show- 
window as tastefully as you did. Perhaps, 
too, you will want to give your mother a little 
Christmas present.” 

“Yes, I shall want to,” said Josie, recov- 
ering herself and grasping at the idea. At 
the same time she was touching gingerly the 
great bill as if it was a strange, rare thing. 
It was the largest one she had ever owned, 
and but very few of its value had she ever 
seen. 

For some reason, she got Mr. Rockson to 
change it before she went home. Then into 
the china mug and the closet went most of 
it, and Josie reflected that she scarcely would 
have trusted it even there, were it not for the 
fact that she slept in the room where the 
closet was. 


AN INVITATION 


109 


A couple of days after she had watched the 
lady drive grandly away in her carriage, Josie 
was on the hassock before Miss Loomis, while 
that lady perched some marabou feathers on 
an evening bonnet,, when Hiram’s spare form 
came through the portiere. 

“ If you please. Mistress Model,” he began, 

there’s a lady out in the store wants to see 
you right away. Quick now, she’s one o’ the 
qual’ty!” 

“Me?” inquired Tosie. “You sure ’twas 
me?” 

“ Well, she wants to see our window dec’- 
rator. I reckon that’s ‘me?’” And Hiram 
mimicked Josie’s surprised voice with droll 
exactness. 

“ You’d better go and see who it is and 
what she wants,” said Miss Loomis. “ You 
know how little use it is to pay much attention 
to that young scalawag.” 

“Well, I like that!” piped Hiram, in an 
injured tone. “Now I won’t direct Mistress 


1 10 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


Model a single step. She can go and find 
who wants her all by her lonesome — ” 

Josie, with her swift habit of obedience, 
was already out of hearing and in the outer 
room. There, seeing the lady waiting by her 
decorated table, and looking toward the work- 
room, she went up to her. 

“ Did you wish to see me? ” she asked, tim- 
idly. 

“ Yes, if you are the young girl who dressed 
up this table and the window.” 

“Yes, I did,” and Josie flushed a rosy 
red. 

“ I don’t know but what I should have seen 
the manager before speaking to you,” the lady 
went on, “ but the truth is, my young people 
are to have a Christmas tree and a little dance 
on Christmas eve, and I’ve been worrying 
about the arrangement of the tree. A woman, 
whom I have been accustomed to calling on 
for assistance at the holidays and on extra 
occasions, has left the city, and my daughters 
are too much taken up with other things to 


AN INVITATION 


HI 


want to do anything about ornamenting the 
tree. 

“ I shouldn’t feel so particular about the 
matter only for the little party, yet I know 
the young people will want everything to look 
properly arranged when they and their 
friends exchange gifts. Could you come and 
dress up the tree for us? I will pay you, of 
course.” 

“Oh, I’m afraid not,” said Josie, “unless 
I could do it late in the evening.” Her eyes 
took on a longing look as she added: “We 
sha’n’t have a minute to spare before Christ- 
mas in the daytime, I know, or early in the 
evening, but I should love to do it dearly.” 

“ Wouldn’t you be too tired after your day’s 
work? ” asked the lady, kindly. 

“No, if I was ever so tired, I should like 
to do that. I saw a Christmas tree at our 
chapel last year and it was beautiful, only — ” 

Josie stopped, in sudden confusion. 

“ Only what? ” asked the lady, encourag- 
ingly. 


I 12 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


“ It was out of line,” said Josie, smiling 
and showing deep dimples. “ They had too 
much loaded on at the top and spoiled its 
shape. It didn’t taper right.” 

“You mean what we call its ‘symmetry’ 
was spoiled,” and the lady smiled in turn; 
“ it was out of proportion.” 

“Yes, that is just exactly what I meant,” 
said Josie, “only I didn’t know exactly how 
to say it. And they looped the pop-corn lower 
than the tinsel, and the tinsel ought to been 
lowest because ’twas the darkest and the heavi- 
est. Don’t you think so? ” 

“ Yes, I think you must be right. I see you 
have the correct idea about these things. I 
wish very much I could have your assistance 
the day before Christmas, if it is possible.” 

“ I’ll ask Madame Leroy,” said Josie, “ but 
I know how awfully busy we shall be all these 
days. I help in lots of ways and like to, and 
I wouldn’t displease Madame for anything, 
but I must, must do that beautiful work on 
the tree somehow.” 


AN INVITATION 


II3 

The pretty lady laughed at the child’s de- 
termination, then the anxious look came back 
to her face. “ Dear me,” she said, it would 
make things so much easier if the young peo- 
ple were only more simple in their demands. 
Now suppose you find this Madame, and see 
what can be done.” 

As Josie expected, Madame Leroy said she 
could not think of sparing any one from the 
store the day before Christmas. It was also 
their intention to keep open in the evening. 
She went up to where the lady was standing. 

“ We might spare her on Christmas eve it- 
self,” smiled Madame, “ as trade falls off 
toward evening, because so many people have 
a tree on Christmas eve, but I see no way of 
sparing Josie before.” 

“ Then I must give her up,” said the lady, 
half-turning away. 

‘‘ Oh, Madame,” entreated Josie, trembling 
between her longing to do the beautiful work 
of dressing the tree and fear of giving dis- 
pleasure, “ don’t you think I could go at eight 


II4 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


o’clock the night before Christmas eve? I’d 
rather sit up all night than not trim the tree.” 

“ But that wouldn’t do at all, my dear,” ob- 
jected the lady, as she looked admiringly at 
Josie’s flushed face and wide-open bronze 
eyes. “ A child should have her sleep, and 
you couldn’t work until late at night, then 
go to work again early in the morning.” 

“I could for once,” argued Josie. “And 
do you think, Madame, I might have an extra 
hour off in the evening, and half an hour in 
the morning? Then I am sure I could man- 
age nicely.” 

And Madame, thinking it might be of ad- 
vantage to the tasteful child to indulge her, 
consented to allow her the extra time. 

Josie’s eyes were like stars as she said : “ I’ll 
work hard enough to make up the time. See 
if I don’t,” and she smiled so happily that 
Madame was glad she had gratified her. But 
the lady lingered: 

“ I think,” she said, addressing Madame, 
“ that you made the remark a moment ago 


AN INVITATION 


1^5 

that Miss Josie could be spared on Christmas 
eve without inconvenience. It seems to me 
that, if she dresses the tree for us, it would 
be only fair that she should come and assist 
in taking the things from it. Have you ever 
been to a Christmas eve party, my dear? ” 

“No, never!” The child fairly panted 
with expectation. 

“ I think Christmas is a time to make every 
one as happy as possible,” continued the lady, 
“ so if it would be a pleasure to you to come 
and help take the presents from the tree, I 
would like to have you. Then, also, things 
can probably be taken down without spoiling 
the looks of the tree. We usually keep it 
standing until after New Year’s. There will 
be dancing which you may enjoy seeing. 
Now I will look for you the night before 
Christmas eve, and Thomas, our coachman, 
will see that you get home safely.” 

So it was all charmingly arranged, and 
Josie forgot to thank Madame for her kind- 
ness in the great delight she felt at the pros- 


Il6 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

pect of what was before her. She fluttered 
into the workroom with so joyous an expres- 
sion that Hiram, who was still there, said, 
in a tone of stifled amazement: 

Great Caesar’s ghost! What’s got the 
model? Gone loony, I verily believe, and 
flying around here like a hen with her head 
a-missing.” 

At noon, Madame stopped Josie with an air 
of having something to say. 

“ What have you to wear to the Christmas 
party? ” she asked, pleasantly. 

Josie looked blank. It had not occurred to 
her until that moment that the only present- 
able dress she owned was the one she had on. 
Poor child, her voice fell as she answered: 
‘‘ Nothing but this,” and she glanced ruefully 
at the woollen dress of navy blue, which, 
pretty and suitable enough for every-day 
wear, was no kind of a dress to wear to a 
fine party. 

“ You needn’t look so downcast about it,” 
said Madame, cheerily. “ I’d have another.” 


AN INVITATION 


I17 

Josie brightened. So used had she become 
to making the least of everything do that it 
never popped into her head for an instant that 
another dress could be forthcoming. 

“Want a little advice?’’ smiled Madame. 

“Yes, oh, yes, please do,” Josie answered, 
scarcely noticing how she expressed herself 
in the relief that had suddenly dawned. 

“You needn’t spend much,” Madame be- 
gan. “ But suppose you take a portion of the 
extra money on hand and buy a simple white 
dress. Swiss muslin is the best thing. You 
will need a coarser muslin for an underskirt, 
besides a white cotton one, which you may 
have, and a few ribbons for trimming. I will 
see that you have two nice white roses with 
leaves around them, one for your hair and 
one for your neck. You know we have some 
that are quite natural. 

“ Have elbow sleeves and the waist cut a 
little low and rounding at the neck. This 
will be a useful dress when summer comes. 


Il8 JOSIE bean: flat street 

and it does up beautifully. Your mother 
could manage to have it cut, couldn’t she?” 

‘‘ Oh, yes, she could. There’s a dressmaker 
ma often makes buttonholes for; she’ll fit it 
and ma can make it. I wish — ” 

^‘What do you wish, Josie? out with it.” 

“ I wish some one here could go with me 
when I get the stuff.” 

“ I think Miss Blossom is going to do a 
little shopping to-morrow at noon, and would 
be very willing to help you.” 

“ Then I’ll ask her. She said once she 
must do something for me for being such a 
patient figure when she wanted to try on hats. 
I don’t want any help because of that, but 
I wish she could go with me.” 

And, when Josie shyly asked her. Miss 
Blossom said she should be very glad to help 
her choose the pretty muslins. 


CHAPTER IX. 


LITTLE DAFFY 


MRS. JASPER CORNING 

Wilton Terrace 


Here is a card that the lady of the Christ- 
mas tree sent by her coachman,” Madame 
said to Josie the next morning. “ In her 
anxiety yesterday she forgot to leave her 
address.” 

Josie took the bit of pasteboard with a 
pleased, childish grin. It was the first call- 
ing card she had ever handled. It was like 
the one pictured above. 

She knew the way to Wilton Terrace. She 


120 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


had once carried a white brocaded vest there 
for a young man who had wished to have it 
sent as soon as finished. 

“ That’s up among the big houses,” she said 
to Madame; “ it will seem funny to go into 
one. Madame,” she asked, in a kind of con- 
fidential outburst, the result of wanting a little 
information, “ ought I to sit down on one of 
the fine chairs, or to stay standing up? ” 

Madame Leroy did not smile. 

“ Sit down the same as you would any- 
where,” she said, in a matter-of-fact tone. 
“ Try to appear as if you had seen fine things 
before, and as if it was not your first party 
at all. You want to be just as easy and natural 
as possible. You know it is easy to look at 
things and notice them without really staring. 
I am not afraid you will put yourself for- 
ward too much ; it is always a mistake to do 
that. Don’t get confused. Attend to handing 
things down from the tree, and keep calm as 
you can. No doubt the people will be kind, 
and all will glide along nicely.” 


LITTLE DAFFY 


I2I 


Just think, I am to see them dance,” said 
Josie, her smile wide and her dimples deep. 

At that moment, Madame was called away, 
and Josie, holding the precious card in her 
pointed fingers, went to the workroom. At 
noon she was to go with Miss Blossom and 
select her dress. It was to be made in great 
haste, as Christmas was only three days dis- 
tant. 

Mrs. Bean had been half-pleased and hall- 
cross when Josie told what she had been asked 
to do, and of her beautiful invitation. 

“ Don’t go to setting up for any grand style 
yourself,” she warned. “ We’re poor, and 
likely to stay poor, and you needn’t forget it. 
That rich woman prob’bly invited you out 
of pity, and like as not to make your eyes 
stick out at all the grand things you’ll see.” 

“ My eyes won’t stick out,” said Josie, 
shortly. 

At ten minutes after eight the night before 
Christmas eve, Josie was pressing the electric 
bell at Number fifty-eight Wilton Terrace. A 


122 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


man opened the door. From his dress, Josie 
thought he must be a serving-man, but she 
thought it queer that a man should be a serv- 
ant inside of a house. 

The child sat gingerly down in the brightly 
lighted reception-room, while Mrs. Corning 
was being called. In a moment she made her 
appearance. 

“This is Josie, isn’t it?” she said, pleas- 
antly. “ Now come and put your things in 
this little closet, then William will show you 
the tree.” 

Already Josie’s soul was steeped in delight 
at what she saw. The carpets, the vases, the 
beautifully carved and moulded figures on 
mantel and pedestal, the draperies, lamps, 
laces, cushions, and, over and above all else, 
the pictures, oh, the pictures! Of all the ex- 
quisite, lovable things in reception-room and 
parlor, the pictures were far and away the 
most attractive to her eyes. 

Josie was standing by the tree, which, after 
the style of most Christmas trees, was stiff and 


LITTLE DAFFY 


123 


prim while unadorned; Mrs. Corning had 
left the parlor to find William and give him 
a few directions, and Josie was thinking how 
graceful and pretty the tree would become 
after being decked with the tiny bells, floss 
balls, pop-corn, and tinsel, all ready in boxes 
at hand, when, hearing a flutter close by, she 
turned to see a rare little figure at her side in 
cute bath-robe and tiny worsted slippers. 

Brother Wilfred is cornin’ to-morr,” said 
the winning little witch. Brother Wilfred 
and me is goin’ to dance Jim Crow.” 

^‘My! aren’t you a little sweet!” cried 
Josie, softly, and stooping to caress the little 
dear. ‘‘Would they let me kiss you?” she 
asked. 

“ Ev’rybuddy kisses me,” said the mite. 
“ I’m Daffy.” Then she added, with cunning 
dignity: “My whole name is Daffy-Down- 
Dilly, but mamma says in the big Bible it’s 
Marg’ret. But I’m Daffy. Wilfred says it’s 
sweet Daffy. I like Wilfred. He’s my big 
brother, Wilfred is.” 


124 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT. STREET 


“ So Wilfred is coming to-morrow,” said 
Josie, speaking the name softly. 

“ Sh! sh! ” warned the baby of three years. 
“ Mamma said we mustn’t come into the par- 
lor t’-night, any of us, ’cause we might scare 
Santa Claus. I jus’ corned to see you. I ain’t 
goin’ to look at the Christmas tree,” she 
added, staring at it with all her might. 

Luckily the tinsel and other trimmings 
were in the boxes with tissue-paper over 
them. 

“ Oh, if mamma said you mustn’t come 
down, perhaps little Daffy ought to run right 
back up-stairs,” Josie said, longing to half- 
smother the little creature with kisses. 

‘‘ Yes, I’m goin’ right back,” said wily little 
Daffy, “ only I wanted to tell you brother 
Wilfred was cornin’. He’s in college, brother 
Wilfred is.” Then, leaning her fluffy, golden 
head toward Josie, she said, with a smile that 
showed her little pearls of teeth: 

“ He knows lots, brother Wilfred does. He 
knows as much as a — a — great big king! 


LITTLE DAFFY 


125 


Do-do says he’s got a sweetheart, but Wilfred 
says I’m his sweetheart. He’s my brother, 
Wilfred is.” 

“And who is Do-do?” asked Josie. 

“ She’s my sister. Do-do is, so is Gwen. 
Gwen thinks I’m too little. Do-do says I 
know too much. Wilfred doesn’t think I 
know too much. He’s cornin’ to-morr, Wil- 
fred is.” 

But little Dafify’s store of talk about her 
adored brother was cut short as a displeased 
voice began: 

“ O Daffy, you naughty little girl! Didn’t 
mamma tell you not to come down again to- 
night? And I told Gwendolyn to watch that 
you didn’t run away;” and there was Mrs. 
Corning and William back of her. 

“ Gwen didn’t watch me, and I come to see 
the pretty lady,” said Daffy, in an injured 
tone. “ I won’t look at the Christmas tree, 
but I want to stay and see the pretty lady.” 

“ You shall see Miss Josie to-morrow night 
if you’re a good girl and mind mamma,” Mrs. 


126 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Corning said. “Now go straight to the 
nursery and Gwen will put you to bed.” 

“ I want Ellen to put me to bed,” cried 
Daffy. 

“Your nurse has gone out,” Mrs. Corning 
replied. “ Gwen will see to you.” 

The spoiled little thing shrugged up as if 
about to cry. “ I don’t want Gwen to put 
me to bed; I want Ellen.” 

“ Oh, very well,” said her mother, “ be a 
naughty child and cry, and when Wilfred 
comes I must tell him all about it, then I 
wonder what he’ll say!” 

“ I’m a good girl,” said Daffy, sweetly, 
“ and Gwen may put me to bed. Now what 
will you tell Wilfred?” 

“ That you’re his good little Daffy.” 

With cunning grace the child lifted her 
downy bath-robe, and her softly slippered feet 
went over the thickly carpeted stairs without 
a sound, her shower of golden hair fluffing 
about her shoulders as she hopped herself, 
baby-fashion, from stair to stair. 


LITTLE DAFFY 


127 


Isn’t she a little darling!” said Josie, 
watching the little figure as it hopped out of 
sight. “ I’d like to paint her.” 

“Yes, she is our baby, and a spoiled baby, 
too, I fear,” was the reply. “Now here is 
William, and I think perhaps it may not take 
so very long to arrange the tree. I don’t want 
the girls to see it, as some one else is to do 
all the decorating, and I shall have to keep 
the parlor door locked all day to-morrow, or 
Daffy might steal in. Can I help in any 
way? ” 

“ No, oh, no,” Josie replied; “ only put the 
presents in the room, then the light ones can 
go on the tree, and the large ones might be put 
under the tree with sprays of holly around 
them. There is a box of holly here.” 

“Yes, that would be a very good idea. 
Now I will bid you good night, as I am very 
tired. Come at about eight o’clock to-morrow 
night. William will lock up the parlor after 
yon are through, and walk home with 
you.” 


128 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


For over two hours Josie worked steadily, 
William assisting when necessary. At the end 
of that time the Christmas tree was a glitter- 
ing wonder. Every few moments Josie would 
stand off to get the effect of what she was 
doing. Once William said: 

“ I bethink me, miss, you’re working out 
a picture ye’ve seen somewheres or nother, 
it works itself out that bewitchin’, for 
sure! ” 

The shape of the tree was faultless, 
not a mysterious package being allowed to 
“ boolge,” as William expressed it, in a way 
to spoil a single line or curve of the tapering 
branches. The glittering tinsel hung in 
graceful loops, the strings of pop-corn always 
over it. The bells, caught on to narrow rib- 
bons, hung in just the right spaces, the floss 
balls peeping airily here and there. The 
gifts were lodged on convenient boughs, while 
under the tree, midst holly and green twigs, 
were placed the larger packages. At half- 
past ten, Josie was on her way home. 


LITTLE DAFFY 


129 


Ah, but the beauty and the bewitchment of 
it all when Josie entered the parlor on Christ- 
mas eve! The young girl had never imag- 
ined the sparkle and the glamour of such a 
glowing scene. 

There were flowers and lights and per- 
fumes. The glint of gay, glistening silks, 
youthful beauty, merry chatter, and continual 
laughter. The warmth and gaiety, the air 
of wealth and ease, strange, alluring faces, 
and a pervading atmosphere of festivity, — 
all these Josie took in almost in a moment, 
all unaccustomed as were the entire surround- 
ings. 

And yet, had she but known it, Josie was 
herself quite as attractive as any object in the 
room. 

Miss Blossom had arranged her thick, short 
hair before she left the store. A few locks, 
wayward and curly, strayed about her white 
forehead. Then the hair at both sides was 
drawn back in clumps and fastened with 
white satin ribbons. In one clump a white 


130 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

rose, with a few green leaves about it, nestled 
midst the ruddy mass, like a birdling in a nest. 

Her dress, pure as the snow, light and float- 
ing, was without trimming of any kind except 
a confining ribbon or two. Around the low 
neck was a lace edging, with a tiny white 
ribbon run through it, which was drawn 
snugly and tied down. Just where the lace 
touched her neck at the left was another white 
rose with its leaves, like the one in her hair. 
The girdle at her waist was of the same ma- 
terial as her dress. 

During the afternoon, Madame Leroy had 
asked her kindly if there was any little thing 
in the way of trimming or of ornamentation 
that she would like from the store. And Josie 
had answered with the usual timidity when 
saying anything half-reluctantly : 

“ My elbow-sleeves are looser at the top 
than I like them. When I reach things from 
the tree, they will fall way back. I think 
a band of white satin ribbon put around them 


LITTLE DAFFY 


131 

just above the elbow and tied in a bow-knot 
would look pretty and make them feel bet- 
ter.” 

“You shall have that certainly,” said Ma- 
dame. “ Shall the bows be made up, or will 
you have the ribbon just tied around.” 

“ Oh, ma will tie them carelessly but in 
good shape, and that will be the prettiest way. 
Thank you, thank you! ” 

And now, in her girlish, low-necked mus- 
lin, satin ties, and two white roses, Josie was 
as fair a lass as one could wish to see. 

On entering the room, she had been greeted 
by Mrs. Corning and also by Mr. Corning, 
with whom she went directly to the tree, under 
which were some carpeted library steps, 
which she was to mount in order to reach 
the gifts placed on the higher branches. 

On these steps Josie sat down for a few 
minutes and looked shyly about. Mr. Corn- 
ing, a tall, fine-looking man, wanting to put 
her at her ease, said, pleasantly: 

“ So this is our young decorator, is it? ” 


132 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

Josie said, “Yes, sir,” then looked, with 
timid interest, at the breezy, showy young 
company before her. Two young girls, one 
about ten, the other fourteen, came up to her 
and, in a polite but somewhat distant manner, 
told her that they thought she had made the 
tree look very pretty indeed. 

In some way, Josie felt at once that they 
did not feel she was of them, or one of their 
guests, and a kind of chill struck at her heart 
as she realized it. Yet she looked with a 
sweet, innocent wonder at the exquisite dresses 
and assured manners of the fashionable young 
girls, and the care-free, debonair young fel- 
lows by whom they were surrounded. 

It never occurred to her to feel offended 
or the least resentful at the slighting manners 
of the young Comings. But as she sat by 
herself, a little twinge of sadness creeping 
over her, there suddenly came a rustle and a 
bounce, and Daffy sprang, almost unaided, 
into her lap. 

The child looked like a fresh and fluttering 


LITTLE DAFFY 


133 


flower, as, with her fluffy hair, her white ruf- 
fled, gauzy dress, and satin shoes, she settled 
herself, with a satisfied chuckle, in Josie’s 


arms. 


CHAPTER X. 

THE CHRISTMAS TREE 

JOSIE had not failed, on entering the room 
and looking around, to notice one tall boy in 
particular, who was the centre of a group of 
bright-faced, charming girls, and who was 
laughingly answering their many questions 
and merry speeches. 

But she did not look at him long; the next 
moment she had turned her eyes away, for the 
young fellow had seen her as she seated her- 
self under the shadow of the tree, and looked 
boldly and steadily at her pretty face, while 
still keeping up a lively chatter with the girls. 

She next became interested in watching 
Gwen, who was talking with a modest appear- 
ing young man, perhaps a little older than 
134 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


135 


the showier young fellow, who still stared 
at her continually. 

Gwendolyn was exceedingly pretty, and 
also knew it. And Josie, with her perfectly 
kindly little heart, knew almost immediately 
that Gwen was aware of her own good looks. 
She flitted and flirted now here, now there, 
chatting freely with one friend, then another, 
but oftenest and longest with the quiet young 
man, near whom it was evidently a delight 
to flutter. 

Then Josie saw that the tall young man, 
not showy or breezy like the rest, was remark- 
ably good-looking. Not with the bold, bright 
beauty of the young fellow who kept eying 
her, but with a high-bred, refined cast and 
air that at once caught and pleased her eye. 

I’d like to paint him,” she thought. 

That other boy, — I’d like to have some one 
else paint him, and then look at the picture, 
but this second gentleman, I’d like to paint 
him myself. He’d be a study. Such a beau- 
tiful one! ” 


136 JOSIE bean: flat street 

These observations had taken but a very 
few moments, and Josie had got just that far 
when little Daffy flew up to her. 

Josie’s arms closed over the fairy-like child 
as she sprang on to her lap, and Daffy gave 
her a kiss that sounded all through the room. 

Every one laughed, and Josie’s face was red 
as any “Jack” rose as remarks floated about, 
and she felt rather than saw that nearly every 
one in the room was looking at her. She was 
too much a child herself not to have been 
amused at receiving such a smack as Daffy 
had given her. 

But Daffy gave her no chance to feel much 
confusion, for she began with the breathless 
glee of a happy little bird : 

“ I told Wilfred you was cornin’, and Wil- 
fred said, ^You don’t say!’” Daffy drew 
down her face and opened her eyes wide as she 
could get them, in imitation of the way that 
Wilfred had opened his when she told him 
the news. She went on: 

“ I told Wilfred, ‘ Yes, Josie is cornin’ 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


137 


t’-night’ And Wilfred, he said,” — open 
went the round eyes again, — “ ‘ Oh, my g’a- 
cious! ’ 

“ I told Wilfred I knew Josie was cornin’, 
and Wilfred he said: ‘Oh, my stars an’ 
stockin’ strings. You must interdoose me!’ 
An’ Gwen and Do-do they squeamed and 
laughed.” 

Without waiting for the least reply, she 
flounced around, and, spying her beloved 
brother, he of the bold and buoyant air, she 
beckoned so rapidly with a tiny forefinger 
that Josie giggled in spite of herself. 

Madame Leroy’s sensible advice not to feel 
abashed, but to appear as if she was not at 
her first party, shot into Josie’s mind and 
helped her as the tall, handsome youth came 
up at his little sister’s beckoning command. 

“What is it, sweet Dafify? ” he asked, his 
bright eyes dancing, and his voice full of 
amusement. 

“ This- is pretty Josie,” said the mite, point- 
ing a finger at Josie’s flaming face. “ I inter- 


138 JOSIE bean: flat street 


doose you! ” Then back went the sunny little 
head, and Daffy squealed with pure delight. 

“ Good evening, Miss Josie,” said the fin- 
ished boy, not a whit taken aback by his little 
sister’s funny introduction. “ I have no doubt 
you have some other name besides the one this 
scrap of a little woman knows, but ‘Josie’ 
is as far as she has got.” 

“ My name is Josie Bean,” was the quiet, 
timid reply, but so charming was the young 
face as she spoke, and the bronze hair and eyes 
were so perfectly matched, the brow and neck 
so white, while her cheeks glowed partly with 
health, partly with the bashfulness of a shy 
young thing, that Wilfred inwardly decided 
that she was the most winsome creature he 
had ever seen. 

Lovelier even than Bella Corrette, whose 
father was partly Spanish, and whose dark 
yet brilliant beauty had made her a favorite 
in her own special circle of acquaintance, and 
particularly with the young men. 

“ You must dance with me by and by,” 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


139 


Wilfred said. “We are going to trip it a 
little while after the presents have been dis- 
tributed, for we are not going to open our 
packages to-night, at least, not while we are 
together. You dance, don’t you?” 

Yes, Josie could dance. She would not 
have wanted this fine young man to know just 
where she had learned. ~ Partly at school, 
where she and her young companions danced 
in the school-yard at recess time, singing for 
music as they glided not ungracefully up and 
down the wide, convenient enclosure. Also, 
whenever the hurdy-gurdies came along, seiz- 
ing the first girl as a partner who chanced to 
appear, she would dance as naturally as a 
bird would fly. 

Astonishing how deftly children will fall 
into the habit of taking steps correctly, once 
they have caught the trick of twirling to a 
dance tune. 

Josie did not notice that more than one 
pair of bright eyes burned with uneasy, dis- 
pleased glances as the bonny Wilfred lingered 


140 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


at her side, not even glancing around at the 
group he had left. 

Nor did she think it strange or out of the 
way when his sister Gwen came to him, and 
said, haughtily: 

Wilfred, we are going to have the pres- 
ents given out now, and Miss Bean is to hand 
them down. You will find a seat over by 
Bella.’’ 

Wilfred stopped to whisper: ‘^ Remember, 
the second dance. I am already engaged for 
the first one,” then, turning about, he added, 
in a louder tone: 

Come, Dafiy-Down-Dilly, we must go 
and see the Santa Claus things come off the 
tree.” 

“ I don’t want to leave Josie,” said the wil- 
ful mite. 

Oh, but you must,” said Wilfred. Miss 
Josie is going to help us get our presents now.” 

Isn’t she pretty? ” said Daffy, never offer- 
ing to stir. 

The tall boy and the tall young girl broke 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


141 

into a merry laugh, as, leaning forward so far 
that his hair almost touched Josie’s cheek, 
Wilfred clutched up the white and goldy fluff, 
and, despite her squirming, kicking, and 
laughing, bore her off to the middle of the 
room. 

There was great merriment, much chatter- 
ing, and mimic screams, as Josie, standing on 
the short steps, handed down the various par- 
cels, and Mr. Corning called up the gay, 
young people to receive their gifts. 

It was well the packets were not to be 
opened at once, as it would have brought 
about so much confusion, and taken so much 
time that dancing would have been out of the 
question. 

By nine o’clock the presents had been care- 
fully taken down while the tree was still beau- 
tiful to look upon, with its graceful loops and 
ribbons, its shining bells and fragrant, be- 
tinselled boughs. 

The dancing was to be in a long room at 
the top of the house, and Josie was almost by 


142 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


herself after a few moments, as she gathered 
up stray bits and made things tidy about the 
tree. 

She looked around still with innocent 
pleasure at the carpet-like moss beneath her 
feet, the beautiful furniture, costly ornaments, 
and rich hangings, while on the walls were 
the valuable pictures, above all else her chief 
delight. 

After standing a moment rapt in genuine 
admiration, she said, softly, thinking no one 
else but William was in the parlor: “I’d 
like to paint this room.” 

“ Ah, would you? ” said a half-surprised, 
but genial, voice, that made her turn hastily. 
But she was relieved upon looking into the 
fatherly face of Mr. Corning. “Would you 
like to paint this room?” 

“Yes,” and Josie dimpled as she made re- 
ply. “ It is always what I think first thing 
when I see anything so pretty. I always wish 
I could paint it.” 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


143 


“ And do you know anything at all about 
painting? ” 

“ No, I can’t paint because I never have 
tried. I can draw a little. We used to draw 
once a week the last year I was at school. I 
used to wish we could have a drawing-lesson 
every day. I’d love to paint. I’d love it bet- 
ter than anything else in the world.” 

You did excellently well with our Christ- 
mas tree. I think it only right to praise you 
for having made it look so very pretty. It 
was quite a work of art for so young a girl. 
And now you like the looks of our drawing- 
room? ” 

“ Oh, yes, I like it next to my papa’s Dutch 
interior.” 

Mr. Corning turned suddenly and looked 
in Josie’s face: “A Dutch interior? What 
do you know of a picture of that kind, pray? ” 

“ My father painted it; he was an artist,” 
Josie replied, simply. “ There was cobwebby 
lace on a table-scarf that fell over beautifully, 
and a high mantel, and queer, tall chairs with 


144 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

lovely carvings. I never get tired of it.” She 
added, with girlish candor: 

“ If papa had lived, I’d been an artist, for 
he could have taught me, but there’s no time 
now, and no one to teach me how to paint.” 

Mr. Corning was taking in the tall, shapely 
young girl as she talked. He noted the rich 
bloom on cheek and lip, the deep-hued, ruddy 
hair, and, what few men would have noticed, 
the pointed fingers which toyed with a neat 
handkerchief. 

“ I think I must introduce you to our young 
friend, Claude Ellicott,” he said, pleasantly, 
“ He is just home from Italy and Rome, also 
from Antwerp in Central Europe, in which 
places he has been painting under famous 
artists and learning of them. Now, he is to 
teach drawing and painting, and you would 
enjoy talking with him.” 

“I — I can’t take lessons now,” Josie stam- 
mered, feeling on the instant how useless and 
foolish it would be to dream of such a thing. 

“ Oh, well, suppose we go up and see them 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


145 


dance,’’ said Mr. Corning, lightly. ‘^You 
would be very young to begin to paint now.” 

They mounted the broad, easy stairs, and 
Josie caught glimpses of beautifully furnished 
rooms as they went on and up over three 
flights, reaching at last the long room with its 
polished floor, where the dancing was going 
on. 

Bella Corrette, the dark, brilliant beauty, 
was gliding past, with Wilfred Corning as 
partner, and Gwendolyn Corning was danc- 
ing with the quiet young man of the well-cut, 
aristocratic features. 

“ There,” said Mr. Corning, “ the young 
fellow that just tripped by is Claude Ellicott. 
Dances well, too.” 

Mr. Corning found Josie a seat and slipped 
away. 

Ah, they all danced so well ! Josie had seen 
nothing like this before. It was all like a 
fairy dream. Light poured down from the 
chandeliers, making the long apartment 
bright as day. In one corner was a -small 


146 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

grand piano, at which sat a young man play- 
ing, and by his side sat another young man 
with a violin. Both had been hired to play 
for the dancing. 

The music was tripping and sweet. The 
fair, beautifully dressed young girls floated 
about as if scarcely touching the floor. The 
boys, bright, intelligent, and sparkling with 
life and gaiety, seemed simply at home in the 
midst of their joyous surroundings. 

The pleased, innocent smile, natural to 
Josie’s face when anything charmed her, kept 
the deep dimples wavering in her cheeks, and 
she began to long for the time to come when 
she, too, would dance. 

Then the music ceased. The girls, flushed 
and panting, were led to seats along the sides 
of the room; the boys fanned them gallantly, 
or placed dainty wraps about their shoulders. 

Josie had turned to look at Bella Corrette, 
whose lovely dress of some thin, white mate- 
rial over yellow silk, set off her wonderful 
beauty, when she heard some one say: 


THE CHRISTMAS TREE 


147 


“ Miss Josie, let me introduce Mr. Claude 
Ellicott; this is Miss Josie Bean, Claude. I 
shouldn’t wonder if you could interest her in 
the subject of painting,” and Mr. Corning, 
who had brought Claude up to introduce him, 
was gone. 

Josie bowed, scarcely raising her eyes, as 
the young painter said, with boyish directness : 

“ I should think if you dressed that Christ- 
mas tree, you could easily learn to paint. But 
— will you dance?” 

“ Not with you this time, my dear fellow! ” 
cried a gay voice at his other side. “ This 
belongs to me.” 

“ Then the next one? ” asked Claude, with 
a polite bow. 

Yes, I will dance with you next time,” 
said Josie, promptly, “ then we can talk about 
pictures.” 

“ I can talk about pictures, too,” said Wil- 
fred, as he led Josie out, and putting on an 
injured air as if he was not altogether appre- 
ciated. 


14S JOSIE bean: flat street 


“Yes, but can you paint?” asked Josie, 
dimpling. 

“ Must a fellow paint to make him worth 
talking with? ” 

“ No, oh, no; I can love people who don’t 
know the first thing about painting. Ma 
doesn’t.” 

Josie felt an uncomfortable twinge as she 
spoke of her mother, but just then the violin 
twanged, the music began, and she flew air- 
ily and gracefully along the room with Wil- 
fred Coming’s arm half-encircling her waist. 


CHAPTER XL 


THE DANCE 

After a few moments, Josie wondered why 
it was that neither Gwendolyn Corning nor 
Bella Corrette were dancing. 

No, Gwen sat talking with Claude Ellicott, 
and Bella, she of the crimson cheeks and dark, 
clear skin, had swished her handsome dress 
close to the seat she occupied, and turned her 
face away from the dancers, as Josie and Wil- 
fred swept by. 

A young fellow, with a long neck and a 
little chicken-tuft of a mustache, a diamond 
stud in his shirt-bosom, and a seal ring on his 
finger, was hovering over the proud beauty, 
toying with her fan and occasionally whis- 
pering behind it. 

Once, when Josie caught Miss Bella’s eye, 

149 


150 JOSIE bean: flat street 

as she flitted near her, the girl tossed her head 
around as if provoked that the poor child had 
seen her glance at her. 

Yet Josie enjoyed the dance. And when it 
was over, and for a few minutes Wilfred sat 
beside her saying she was an easy dancer and 
a nice partner, she felt happy. Then, when 
Wilfred bowed himself away, up came 
Claude Ellicott and began talking about some 
pictures he had seen that afternoon at a great 
picture store in the upper part of the city. 

All the time they were dancing, and after- 
ward, when Claude was sitting beside her, 
the radiant young girl drank in every word 
he said with an eagerness that would have 
proved gratifying to almost any young man 
who loved his art. 

Josie, for her part, noticed nothing, knew 
of nothing, but just what the young artist was 
saying. Yet dark looks were bent upon the 
simple-hearted child, and the older girls, in 
their fine dresses, with their fans, their jewels, 
and their hothouse flowers, were talking in 


THE DANCE 


151 

low, angry tones, were saying things that had 
Josie overheard, she would have rushed from 
the room and from the house in anger, shame, 
and tears. 

“ Why, dear me,” Gwen was saying, 
“ mamma just got her to fix up the Christ- 
mas tree, and is going to pay her for it. And 
then, because she thought it would please her, 
she asked if she would like to come and take 
down the presents and look on at the dancing. 
She never thought of such a thing as her go- 
ing twirling about with our boys. She won’t 
come here again in a hurry.” 

“ I don’t care, she’s awfully pretty,” put in 
Do-do, Gwen’s young sister. 

Oh, if any one likes that flaunting style,” 
said Bella Corrette, with a sneer. “ Red hair, 
red eyes, red cheeks. Of course, a girl of that 
kind is going to push herself forward if she 
can. She doesn’t know any better, so I 
wouldn’t feel bad about it, Gwen.” 

‘‘Ho! I think the boys are the ones to 
blame as to her dancing,” insisted Do-do. 


152 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


They needn’t have asked her; but I’m sure 
she danced well, and see what lovely taste 
she shows in her dress. So simple and becom- 
ing. She’d have been a little goose not to 
have danced.” 

“ I can’t help agreeing with you,” laughed 
a stylish-looking girl, with a kind expression. 
“ With her taste and ability, is it surprising 
if she would like to get up in the world, and 
know something of good society? ” 

“ I prefer people who are already in it,” 
said Bella Corrette. 

But Bella was to have her foolish pride 
tried still farther, for there was Wilfred tak- 
ing Josie out for another dance. 

Just then, Mrs. Corning, who had been 
coaxing Dafify to let her nurse put her to bed, 
came into the dancing-hail, and began look- 
ing on at the merry groups. Gwendolyn, see- 
ing her mother, went up to her. 

“ Mamma,” she began, “ did you mean for 
that Josie creature to dance with Wilfred and 
Claude Ellicott, just as if she was one of u$? ” 


THE DANCE 


153 


I wouldn’t speak of any young girl so 
contemptuously, if I were you, Gwen,” her 
mother replied. 

“ Well, but did you mean for her to dance 
with the boys the same as we would?” per- 
sisted Gwen. 

Mrs. Corning looked at the breezy child, 
with cheeks aglow, and rich, ruddy hair float- 
ing ofif from the white ribbons and nestling 
rose, a picture of youthful happiness and 
beauty. 

Say, mamma, did you? ” Gwen repeated, 
impatiently. 

Why, n-o, I don’t know as I did,” her 
mother said, slowly, “ but what harm does 
it do? See how she is enjoying herself. Don’t 
be selfish, Gwen ; think how you enjoy a good 
time. Young people are all alike.” 

I don’t think they are,” said Gwen, and 
Bella Corrette is dreadfully disgusted at her 
being here, just a girl asked in to decorate.” 

I asked her to stay and look on at the 


154 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


dance,” said Mrs. Corning. A new tone crept 
into her voice, as she added: 

“ As for Bella Corrette, I have seen other 
young girls with whom I had quite as lief see 
your brother dancing as with her.” 

Gwen said no more. She had suspected 
before that, with all her wealth and beauty, 
Bella was no favorite with her mother, neither 
had she ever joined in the laughing sallies 
when the girls teased Wilfred about her. 
Gwen wondered why this was. 

After Wilfred had finished his second 
dance with Josie, he sat beside her, until 
Claude Ellicott, who had watched the pair 
almost constantly as they circled about, saun- 
tered up and seated himself at her other side. 

“Well, did you ever see the like!” ex- 
claimed Bella Corrette. “ Really I think we 
little stars had better withdraw.” 

And, when Wilfred soon afterward hurried 
over and asked her to dance, she answered, 
coldly: 

“ Couldn’t think of it. We are not the 


THE DANCE 


155 


fashion to-night,” and she bowed with averted 
eyes toward Jeannette Storm and his sister 
Gwen. 

“ Oh, come, Bella,” cried Wilfred, in a 
jolly tone, “ don’t be a goosey, come and 
dance! A fellow likes variety now and then. 
What wouldn’t do for a regular thing comes 
in as a sugar-plum once in awhile. Come 
on.” 

“ Couldn’t think of it,” coldly repeated 
Bella, with an independent toss of her head. 
“ Not with me the same night.” 

“You come,” Wilfred said, turning to 
Jeannette Storm, the stylish girl of kindly 
expression, who had said she didn’t blame 
Josie for wanting to rise in the world if she 
could. 

“ Oh, thank you, I don’t see why not,” said 
the more sensible Jeannette, and up she got, 
and away they whirled, leaving Bella smiling 
serenely but feeling very bitter at heart. 

Gwen, too, felt bitter at heart. She ad- 
mired Claude Ellicott, who, instead of danc- 


156 JOSIE bean: flat street 


ing, was still talking with Josie Bean, and 
apparently with as much interest as if she 
was as well born as Gwen herself. 

Gwen, moreover, felt that she had a claim 
on Claude Ellicott’s attentions, and that he 
had no right to neglect her for that other and 
more lowly girl. For had not her father. 
Papa Corning, helped him in going abroad, 
and furnished the money that enabled him to 
take those valuable lessons in painting? In- 
deed he had! Yet, did Gwen know the whole 
story? If so, she seemed to forget a part of 
it. This must be explained. 

Claude, with his real genius and the best 
of parentage, was alone in the world. There 
was neither father nor mother, brother nor 
sister, and Mr. Corning, who knew of the 
lad’s talent and ambition, his strong desire 
to become an artist, had come forward with 
a generous offer of assistance. 

The boy’s father had left him money 
enough with which to finish his schooling and 
pay his board, but a trip abroad and art 


THE DANCE 


157 


studies under distinguished masters were not 
to be thought of with his slender means. 

Yet the young fellow had proudly held 
back when Mr. Corning offered his aid, until 
the gentleman assured him it was not alto- 
gether a gift which he offered. 

“ Your father once helped me,” Mr. Corn- 
ing said, when I was thankful enough for 
his assistance. If now I wish to pay back 
the kindness to his son, with perhaps a little 
interest added, will you refuse to allow me 
to?” 

So it was indeed not entirely a gift that 
Claude accepted from Gwen’s father, al- 
though Mr. Corning paid for the instruction 
that the young man received while abroad. 

Now, at but twenty-one years of age, 
Claude was ready to give lessons in his mod- 
estly furnished studio, and was about to form 
classes both in drawing and painting. What 
wonder that, when Mr. Corning spoke of 
Josie’s quick eye for artistic arrangement and 
a nice picture, the young man should have 


15S JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


felt almost instant attraction for so fine a crea- 
ture as he found this young Josie Bean to 
be? 

Regardless and unconscious of Gwen’s dis- 
turbed, indignant eyes, he talked on and on 
until he said: 

“ You ought to take lessons in drawing, and 
after a time in painting, in love as you are 
with everything of the kind.” 

Josie’s eyes fell. “ I can’t,” she said, briefly. 

“ I thought perhaps you might find time,” 
Claude replied. He knew nothing about the 
pretty young girl, except that she had a strong 
artistic vein. 

“ I am in a milliner’s store,” said Josie, her 
innocent candor coming to her aid, “ and I 
don’t have money enough for anything of that 
kind, but, if ever I do have the money. I’ll 
jump to learn drawing and painting, too.” 
She chuckled girlishly as she added: 

“ I took drawing lessons the last year I was 
at school, and ma said that all that year every 
scrap of loose paper in the house was covered 





“‘YOU OUGHT TO TAKE LESSONS IN DRAWING’” 








THE DANCE 


159 


with curves and lines and circles and the fun- 
niest pictures of dogs and cats and horses. 

‘‘ But I don’t care,” she added, in a tone 
of self-comfort, “ one day lately I wanted to 
show Miss Loomis at our store the figure that 
was on some fancy silk that was used for fur- 
niture, so I sketched it, and Miss Loomis said 
she thought it was sketched remarkably well, 
especially as it was done from memory.” 

Then the child flushed, as she remembered 
she was praising herself, but she did so want 
this delightful young gentleman, who was 
ever so much older than herself, and an artist 
besides, to think well of her. 

But Claude was silent for so long a time 
that Josie all at once thought perhaps he was 
tired of her and wanted to get away. 

Perhaps I ought to go home,” she said. 

Looking around, she was surprised to find 
that nearly every one had slipped from the 
room. She looked with a scared expression 
at Claude Ellicott. 

Have they all' gone? ” she gasped. 


l6o JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

“ Only to the supper-room,” he replied, 
carelessly. “Never mind, I want to talk a 
few moments more, and am glad of a chance 
to talk quietly. 

“ I was thinking,” he added, speaking 
slowly and cautiously, as if feeling his ground, 
“ that when I didn’t feel that I could go to 
Europe and study as I wanted to, some one 
helped me, and I went. Now why shouldn’t 
I help some one else? 

“Would your mother let you come to my 
studio and take a lesson in drawing twice a 
week if I wanted to teach you? I’m just get- 
ting up classes. You would be the youngest 
pupil of all, but all the better for that. After 
learning to draw, you could take up painting; 
could begin, perhaps, with decorating writ- 
ing-paper and envelopes for children, then 
some china painting might be tried, then the 
time would probably come when you could 
paint a picture. You would earn much more 
money from a skilfully handled brush than 
you ever could from trimming hats. People 


THE DANCE 


i6l 


should try their best to learn to do what they 
love to do.’’ 

Josie’s eyes were bright as stars. The great- 
est longing of her young life came out and 
showed itself in her glistening eyes as the 
young man talked to her. Too simple-hearted 
for any false pride, she merely grasped the 
idea that this grown gentleman, this artist, 
who was to have classes in drawing and paint- 
ing, was opening the way for her to learn to 
paint. What glory! She spoke as if in a 
dream: 

‘‘It would be splendid, splendid! And I 
could come to your class sometimes?” 

“ Yes, I should be glad to have you come 
twice a week with the rest of the class. No 
one need know that you do not pay. Ask 
your mother, and, if she consents, begin at 
once.” 

“ I never meant to trim hats,” Josie said, 
replying to Claude’s remark of a moment be- 
fore. “ I like to arrange things and fix them 
up. It is lovely to handle pretty things, and 


i 62 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


I just love the ribbons and laces and feathers 
and flowers. I love dearly to put them in 
designs and anything like that. But to paint! 
Oh, my, I should most go crazy with delight 
to learn to paint.” 

Josie suddenly clasped her hands and 
turned her head partly around, with a mean- 
ing gesture, as if to help out an expression of 
gratification. Her face was like a June morn- 
ing, — bright, sparkling, sunny, so full of 
loveliness and light that Claude, with his 
artist’s eye, felt a thrill of pride and pleasure 
that he had it in his power to call up such a 
glow to any young face. 

“ You know we must help each other in this 
world,” he said, gently. 

Josie’s eyes grew dreamy. “ My papa told 
me once, when I was a little bit of a thing,” 
she said, “ that I must help myself all I could 
if I wanted to get up in the world, and he 
said — he said — ” Josie struggled with a 
memory that for a moment held back, then 
her face brightened: “ Oh, yes, he said I had 


THE DANCE 


163 


the right kind of fingers to paint or to play. 
I remember now.” 

Neither Claude nor Josie saw Mr. Corning 
peep into the deserted room as they talked. 
But in the dining-room, where a wonderful 
table was covered with fancy dishes, ices, sher- 
bets, cakes, and confectionery, he said to Mrs. 
Corning: 

Claude Ellicott and your little Miss Dec- 
orator are still in the billiard-room. Hadn’t 
they better come down? ” 

“ Oh, I’ll see about that,” Mrs. Corning 
replied. And feeling that perhaps it would 
be as well not to have Josie invited to the 
dining-room, seeing some of the young people 
felt as they did, she gave an order to one of 
the waiters. 

That was why, as Claude and Josie sat talk- 
ing, a colored waiter appeared with a tray, 
on which were plates that to Josie’s eyes were 
amazingly beautiful. And in other dishes 
were the kind of things that the tall child had 
sometimes gazed at through the confectioners’ 


i 64 JOSIE bean: flat STREET 


windows, wondering vaguely how they would 
taste. And then there were sweet delights 
that she never before had seen anywhere. 

It did not enter her mind that it was strange 
she was not invited to feast with the rest. Her 
whole soul was steeped in satisfaction at the 
prospect of taking those delightsome lessons, 
and sometime learning to paint. 


CHAPTER XII. 


FLAT STREET 

When the sound of returning footsteps 
came tripping over the stairs, Claude took 
up the tray, saying he would carry it to the 
dining-room. Then, for the first time during 
the evening, Josie began to feel a bit lonesome. 
The young girls, all older than herself by 
some years, except Do-do, swept past her, to 
be claimed at once by their partners for the 
next dance. 

Now that her excitement began to calm, 
she felt tired, and she began to wonder if it 
was not very late. 

She gave one long look around the room, 
and, as no one was noticing her, she slipped 
and down two flights of stairs. 

^ Then she heard the loud crying of a child, 
165 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


1 66 

and, as she passed one of the rooms, she saw 
a nurse-girl trying to quiet little Daffy, who 
would not lie down in her crib, but was de- 
manding to be dressed. 

All at once the mite spied Josie peeping at 
her through the half-closed door. Back went 
her head and she made a little gurgle of 
laughter, as she cried: 

“Come in, pretty Josie, come in!” 

“ Shall I come in? ” Josie said to the nurse. 

“ Oh, I’m sure, miss. I’ll be very glad if 
any one can make Miss Daffy be quiet,” the 
girl said, wearily. “ She’s heard the noise in 
the house, and is that excited she just slept a 
little while, then up she waked as wild as a 
young hawk.” 

“ If Josie’ll take you, will you go right to 
sleep?” asked the young girl. 

“ I think I wouldn’t, miss,” Ellen broke in; 
“ she’ll be afther mussing your pretty gown 
all up. I’d just let her scream.” 

“ If you put her on my lap smoothly, it will 
be all right,” Josie replied. “ I held her once 


FLAT STREET 


167 


before this evening, and it didn’t do any harm. 
But Daffy must promise to go straight to 
sleep if I take her,” she added, turning toward 
the listening child. 

“ I will trooly-rooly,” said Daffy, stretch- 
ing up her arms. 

Josie smoothed her dress, and Ellen placed 
Daffy in her lap. The golden head nestled 
against Josie’s neck, as, with a low croon, the 
young girl began rocking to and fro. She 
was in a high-backed rocker, which was very 
comfortable, especially after Ellen put a has- 
sock under her feet. 

“ Wilfred said you was sweet,” whispered 
Daffy. 

“ Oh, but you promised to go right to 
sleep,” reminded Josie, who was glad the 
child had spoken so low. 

It was quiet for a few moments, then, in an- 
other whisper: 

Gwen said he no business a-think so.” 

“ But Daffy mustn’t talk,” warned Josie. 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


1 68 

It was quiet for a longer time after that, 
then once more: 

“ Wilfred said he did thought so,” sharply 
whispered the little voice. 

“ I’m afraid Josie’ll have to go home, be- 
cause Daffy will talk.” 

That quieted her at last. Josie rocked gen- 
tly on. The tired maid had sunk into another 
chair. Daffy’s little head drooped lower 
against Josie’s neck, as she fell fast asleep. 
After a few moments, the room grew perfectly 
quiet. They were all asleep. Daffy, Ellen, 
and Josie Bean. 

‘‘ I don’t care, I think she’s a perfect little 
beauty! ” 

Josie heard the words and opened her eyes. 
But where was she? For an instant she could 
not imagine. The gas had been turned up. 
A little child was cuddled close in her 
arms. 

Before her stood Wilfred Corning, looking 
down with laughing eyes, beside him stood 




FLAT STREET 


169 

his mother. Over in another chair Ellen still 
slept soundly. Just as her eyes opened, Josie 
heard a quick swishing of skirts, and she 
dimly saw Gwendolyn leaving the room. 

“ Oh, oh,” softly murmured Josie, “ Dafify 
was screaming so loud when I was going by 
the door to go home, I stopped a moment and 
she saw me. Then she called me in and prom- 
ised if I’d hold her she’d go to sleep. So I 
took her, and then we all three dropped ofif.” 
She giggled as the truth came over her. 
“ Isn’t it awfully late?” she asked. 

“ Yes, it is late,” said Mrs. Corning, “ but 
you were very good to help Ellen with Dafly. 
Now William will walk home with you.” 

“ No, William can’t,” said Wilfred, ‘‘he’s 
down to the stable helping Thomas with the 
horses. They’ve just got back from taking 
some of the girls home. I’ll see Miss Josie 
home.” 

“ No, oh, no. I’ll go alone,” said Josie, half- 
afraid at hearing Wilfred offer to go to Flat 
Street. 


170 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


“ Were you ever out alone after mid- 
night? ” asked Wilfred, with twinkling eyes. 

“No, I never was,” said Josie, “but I 
might not be afraid.” 

“ The bugaboos would catch you, sure, and 
eat you up if they caught you out alone this 
dark night,” said Wilfred, as he went for his 
coat and hat. 

“ I heard Daffy crying,” Mrs. Corning 
said, “ but was engaged just then, and, as she 
stopped, I supposed Ellen had quieted her. 
You have been very useful to-night, Josie, 
and I thank you, and here*" is something that 
you have earned.” 

She handed Josie a bill, but the girl drew 
back. 

“ Oh, no,” she said, “ I’ve had a lovely time. 
I don’t want to be paid for it. I had all the 
pleasure and the nice things the waiter 
brought; that was enough.” 

“ But I hired you,” said Mrs. Corning, 
holding the bill close to Josie’s hand. “ You 


FLAT STREET 


171 

are welcome to all the pleasure you had, but, 
I hired you.” 

Josie took the bill and said: “ Thank you.” 
Something hurt. After all, she had been 
hired, but, midst the pleasure and delight of 
it all, she had entirely forgotten that. And 
after all, she had not been a guest at the hand- 
some house, at least, not a guest as the others 
had been. This made her think of something 
else, and, with her usual directness, she said: 

“ Perhaps I ought not to have danced.” 

“ Oh, that was all right,” said Mrs. Corn- 
ing, who could not be unkind. “ The young 
men asked you, and I know young people all 
like to dance.” 

The answer was kind, yet a chill had struck 
somewhere; Josie scarcely knew how or 
where. She had been hired! Was that the 
reason the older girls had let her alone, not 
once coming near her after their first few 
polite words? A sensitive child will soon 
understand. 

Oh, dear, she wished Wilfred was not go- 


172 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


ing home with her. He shouldn’t. She 
would run away from him. 

In the lower hall she caught a glimpse of 
the young fellow in the parlor. He was 
speaking to one of the servants, his coat on, 
his hat in his hand. Josie tugged at the heavy 
front door, opened it, and slipped out. 

She was afraid. It was dark and still out- 
side. She paused a moment as she reached 
the sidewalk, and in that moment the front 
door opened, the light streamed out, and a 
boyish voice called: 

“ Here, where are you, runaway? Couldn’t 
you wait a second? ” laughed Wilfred, as he 
ran lightly over the steps, and slipped his 
hand, friendly fashion, over Josie’s elbow. 

The young girl, who with all her new- 
found pride was very glad to have his com- 
pany, said, with her natural honesty: 

“ I didn’t think you ought to go home with 
me. I’d rather you wouldn’t.” 

Oh, come now, you don’t mean that,” said 
Wilfred, in a coaxing tone, his hand closing 


FLAT STREET 


173 


more tightly over her elbow. “ Wouldn’t you 
rather have a fellow that thinks you’re pretty 
nice go home with you than to go all alone 
at this time of night? ” 

I was a little afraid,” confessed Josie, 
“ when I saw how dark and how still it was. 
I didn’t care for the dark so much ; it’s always 
dark now when I go home from the store, 
but I didn’t like to see everything gone from 
the streets.” 

“ It’s really Christmas Day,” said Wilfred, 
“ and has been for half an hour, for it’s half- 
past twelve, — oh, and I wish you a ^ Merry 
Christmas.’ Now, why in the world didn’t 
you want me to go home with you? ” he asked, 
breezily. 

“I — I live on Flat Street.” 

What of that? Lots of other folks live 
on Flat Street, too, don’t they? ” 

“ You know I wasn’t really invited to the 
party.” A grieved strain crept into Josie’s 
voice, although she did not mean it to. 

“ Suppose you wasn’t? ” said the jovial 


174 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

Wilfred. “ And yet you were. My mother 
asked you to come to-night; of course she 
did, and you helped us to enjoy the evening, 
making the tree look as beautifully as you did. 
If the older girls didn’t exactly hug you up, 
never mind. Claude and I wanted to dance 
with you, and it isn’t polite to refuse to dance 
if one knows how, unless there is some great 
objection to the fellow who asks you.” 

“Oh, isn’t it?” asked Josie, feeling 
cheered. 

“ No; and, if I were you, I’d have all the 
fun I could get. I don’t mean anything the 
least bit out of the way, you know, but I’d 
have all the fun I could. Ducklings ought 
to.” 

Josie giggled at the offhand remark. 

“ Only think,” she said, “ Mr. — Mr. 
Claude is going to give me lessons in draw- 
ing.” 

Then she wondered if Wilfred would guess 
she was going to have the lessons free. She 
rather hoped not. 


FLAT STREET 


175 


“ His name is Ellicott,” Wilfred replied. 
Then he added with true gallantry: He is 
lucky to get you for a pupil, and you are sure 
to learn very rapidly, for art and drawing are 
right in your line. I think Bella Corrette 
and my sister Gwendolyn are going to take of 
him, too.” 

‘‘ Oh, are they? ” 

There was either disappointment, regret, 
or dread in Josie’s voice. 

“ Yes, but that makes no difference. Don’t 
you let any of the rest of the class scare you 
a mite. You have the talent to do great things 
one of these days, and Claude sees it; so do I, 
so does every one you do anything for. Ah, 
what place is this? ” 

This is Flat Street. I live down there 
in the house with the stone steps.” 

They had turned into the dark, narrow 
street where Josie lived. If it hadn’t been 
for the stone steps, the poor child would have 
felt still more ashamed of it. 

“ Good night. Miss Josie, and good luck 


176 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

with the lessons,” Wilfred said, as he released 
her arm. 

A light was gleaming faintly from the bed- 
room window as Josie rang the loudly tin- 
kling bell, and her mother let her in. 

“Goodness!” exclaimed Wilfred, under 
his breath, as he left Flat Street for a wider 
one. “ I don’t wonder the blooming Josie 
wasn’t proud of her dwelling-place. She’s 
a daisy herself, and no denying it, but I wasn’t 
looking for exactly that kind of a tenement.” 

All of which would greatly have relieved 
Gwendolyn and Bella Corrette, even perhaps 
the gentle mother also, had they overheard it. 

But Wilfred paced the lonely streets, sur- 
prised to find himself wishing that Josie did 
not live in quite so miserable a locality. 

As Mrs. Bean admitted Josie, she said, 
crossly: 

“ Why didn’t you stay all night and done 
with it? P’r’aps you didn’t want to come 
home at all. And did you tramp through 
the streets alone, I should like to know? ” 










: lF 


“ JOSIE 


SAT READING AWAY BY THE GILDED CRIB 


91 


FLAT STREET 


177 


O mother, don’t,” said Josie, in a tired 
tone. “ I had a lovely time. They were kind 
to me, and paid me, and Mr. Wilfred, Mrs. 
Coming’s son, came home with me, because 
the coachman was too busy. Now that’s all 
there is to it to-night. I want to go to bed.” 

I’m sure there’s nothing to hinder your 
going. Here I’ve been keeping awake till 
all hours, waiting to let you in, and now you 
can’t even wait to say good night.” 

“ It was real good of you to watch for me, 
ma,” Josie replied, feeling a little conscious- 
ness of the mother-love that, under all the 
roughness of speech, had watched and waited 
for her return. “ But I’m awfully tired. To- 
morrow, I’ll tell you all about it, and I’m glad 
I’m going to be at home all day. Good night. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


A CALLER 

The next morning, Josie told her mother 
all about the party, of dancing a few times, 
and putting little Daffy to sleep, and falling 
asleep herself when she meant to have been 
at home in good season. 

Poor Josie, there was no danger of her for- 
getting who or what she was, with her moth- 
er’s sharp tongue to remind her. 

“ So they sent some refreshments for you 
and that artist fellow up to the dancing-hall, 
did they? ” 

“ Yes, ma.” 

“ Don’t you know what they did that for? ” 
I suppose because they wanted us to have 
some of the goodies. I never tasted such ele- 
gant things before.” 


178 


A CALLER 


179 


“ Yes, but what’s more, they didn’t think 
you was nice enough to go with the rest of 
them to the fine dining-room. If I couldn’t 
be treated like the other folks I trained with, 
I wouldn’t train with them at all. But that’s 
probably the last you’ll ever see of them.” 

Josie had not thought of that before. She 
had felt pleased when the waiter brought the 
loaded tempting tray and greatly had she en- 
joyed the new dainties on it. Now, that, too, 
was dashed. 

She looked at her mother with a curious 
gaze. A moment before she had been cast- 
ing about in her mind, asking the question 
how best to tell about the drawing-lessons. 
Now. she did not care how she told. If all 
the sweetness had got to be taken out of every- 
thing, she was just going to go ahead and take 
all the comfort she could, no matter if her 
mother did scold and see the worst side of 
things. 

For a moment she felt tempted not to say 
anything about the lessons. But Josie was 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


i8o 

too good a girl to do things slyly, so she said, 
with just a touch of independence: 

“ Ma, I’m going to take lessons in draw- 
ing.” 

“Who of?” 

“ A young gentleman that Mr. Wilfred’s 
father introduced to me. An artist that Mr. 
Corning thinks a good deal of.” 

“What, this Wilfred?” 

“No, ma; the artist is a friend of Mr. 
Wilfred Coming’s, too, but it was his father 
that introduced me.” 

“ And what will there be to pay for these 
fancy-fine lessons, and how will you manage 
about the milliner’s?” 

Josie explained that she thought Madame 
Leroy would let her off an hour on Monday 
and Thursday mornings. She told also of 
Mr. Claude Ellicott’s kindly offer to give her 
lessons free of charge, and the perfect delight 
it was going to be to have instruction in her 
favorite and beloved art. 

“ For he says,” the girl went on, “ that at 


A CALLER 


l8l 


the end of a year I can begin to paint a little, 
and he asked first thing if my mother would 
be willing to let me take the lessons.” 

Mrs. Bean faced squarely about so as to 
look directly in Josie’s face. “ See here, 
Josephine,” she began, “your father used to 
spend his time daubing on canvas, and how 
much was it ever worth to him? ” 

“ I think papa painted beautifully,” Josie 
cried, indignantly, “ and I’m sure you sold 
his pictures without any trouble.” 

“ Yes, but how much did they bring? It’s 
all very well to tell about being an artist, but 
I don’t mean you shall take up any such thing. 
Stick to your hats and flowers, and ribbons 
and feathers, and you may do well enough. 
You found that for yourself, and I’ll confess 
a good thing it’s been for you. But I don’t 
want to hear another word about any lessons 
from some stuck-up artist, and you a young 
girl not quite thirteen.” 

Any reply Josie might have made was cut 
short by a jingling of the rattly bell. The 


i 82 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


girl went to the door, and there stood Claude 
Ellicott. He lifted his hat with the same 
grace as if it had been Gwendolyn Corning 
before him, as he said: 

“ Good morning. Miss Josie. I thought 
perhaps you would be kind enough to let me 
see that Dutch interior. I would like to get 
an idea of your father’s method in paint- 
ing.” 

Josie showed him into the room which was 
sitting-room, workroom, and bedroom all in 
one, and was very glad that her mother, busy 
and carelessly dressed, had slipped into the 
kitchen at the prospect of their haying a 
caller. 

Mr. Ellicott did not appear to notice any- 
thing except the picture he had come to see. 
He stood so long before it that Josie had 
begun to tire of waiting, feeling nervous and 
impatient to know his opinion of it. At length 
he spoke, but more to himself it seemed than 
to any one else. 

“ The coloring is beautiful, exquisite! The 


A CALLER 183 

execution is fine also. The work would be 
perfect only — ” 

He stopped, went nearer, and gazed again. 

“Was your father a sick man, sick a long 
time? ” he asked. 

“Yes,” Josie replied. “I heard ma say 
once that he never was strong, and I never 
can remember his being well.” 

“ That accounts for it,” Claude went on. 
“ The picture is beautifully painted, yet there 
are signs of there having been a nervous or 
uncertain touch in some parts. There is no 
doubt that your father was a true artist, and 
only a person with a trained eye would see 
the slight imperfections which might possibly 
prevent even as fine a picture as this one from 
selling very quickly.” 

“ Ma said papa’s pictures never sold for 
enough money,” said Josie, simply, “ but I 
love this one; I always loved it.” 

Claude Ellicott looked around quickly. 
“ And well you may love it,” he said, heartily. 
“ It is a fine, lovely work of art. What I 


184 JOSIE bean; flat street 


said must not alter your feeling in the least. 
I was only looking at it as an artist would. 
Don’t suppose I do not think it fine. I do, 
very fine! ” 

He spoke so earnestly that Josie, who a 
moment before had quailed at hearing a word 
against the painting she loved, felt reassured, 
and also felt all her old admiration for it. 

“Yes, it is a study, that little painting,” 
Claude went on, “ but, by practice and close 
attention, you can learn to do still better,” and 
he smiled encouragingly. “ It takes a long 
time, but everything nearly comes slowly that 
is of great worth. But I called also to see if 
you could take your first lesson next Monday 
morning at ten o’clock? ” 

“Yes, I can,” and Josie spoke with deter- 
mination, knowing that her mother would 
overhear her, and hoping she would think 
it best to give her consent. 

The young artist did not stay long, but in 
some way he managed to make Josie feel 
comfortable and quite free from confusion. 


A CALLER 


185 


“ Everything will be provided at the studio 
in the way of material,” he said. “ I should 
scarcely know how to tell any one what to 
bring.” Then he was gone. 

Mrs. Bean had indeed overheard every 
word, just as Josie had hoped. When she 
came back to the sitting-room, vest in hand, 
— for she had said there were no holidays for 
her except Sundays, — Josie had produced a 
package from some mysterious corner. 

Ma,” she said, smiling beautifully, I 
wish you a ^ Merry Chrfstmas,’ and here is a 
little present I bought for you.” 

La,” said Mrs. Bean, looking flustered at 
the unexpected turn of affairs, “ you needn’t 
gone buying a present for me.” 

“ But I wanted to. It made me awfully 
happy,” said the dear child. 

And there was a pair of fine steel shears, 
and also a pair of shining buttonhole scis- 
sors. 

Josie had heard her mother say her old 
buttonhole scissors were almost past sharpen- 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


1 86 

ing. A good pair of shears, such as she often 
needed for paring ofjf seams and cutting edges, 
she had never possessed. 

Her mother’s face fairly flushed. Well, 
I must say,” she began, “ you’ve cert’nly 
shown sights of common sense in what you’ve 
chose, if you was bent on making some pres- 
ents! When you said you’d got a present for 
me, I felt like scolding you for wasting your 
money on some foolish knickknack I wouldn’t 
give a copper groat for. But a good sharp 
pair of shears, and a nice new pair of but- 
tonholers — well, child alive. I’m much 
obliged! ” 

Josie was so pleased she flew at her mother 
and kissed her. 

“ I cheated you, ma, just for a little while,” 
she said, gleefully. “ I handed you eight 
dollars to be put away, that they gave me 
at the store after I decorated the window, 
but they gave me ten. I wanted to get you 
the Christmas present. Madame said perhaps 
I’d like to, so I kept back the two dollars. 


A CALLER 


187 


They’re the best. I got them at that great 
cutlery store up-town.” 

“ Oh, yes, they show they’re the best,” said 
her mother. 

There was silence a moment, then Josie 
asked, timidly: 

“ You’re willing I should take the lessons, 
ain’t you, ma? ” 

For a moment her mother did not reply. 
When she did, Josie noticed that her voice 
was neither harsh nor loud: 

“ I don’t see that I can help myself, seeing 
you’ve gone and given your word you would 
take them whether or no. But, Josie, you’re 
nothing but a child, and don’t know scarcely 
the first thing about the world yet. I’m your 
mother, and want you to do well and all that. 
I only hope I can trust you to behave your- 
self and not go fooling or joking in a free, 
bold way with any young man you take lessons 
of, or any other young fellow you may see 
at a studio. 

“ I peeked through the crack of the door 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


1 88 

when that young painter was here, and I’m 
free to say he had a good face and appeared 
like one of the decent sort. I don’t know all 
I might about some things, and I never had 
time to go finicking about fancy-fine manners, 
but I can tell you one thing, a girl can make 
young fellows treat her with a good deal of 
respect if she has a mind to, or she can act 
loose and careless, and first thing you know 
they get an idea that they can act pretty much 
as they take a notion.” 

‘‘ Mr. Claude Ellicott wouldn’t,” ex- 
claimed Josie, her goldy-brown eyes stretched 
wide at such a thought, “ nor I don’t believe 
Mr. Wilfred Corning would, either.” 

“ Oh, I don’t know,” her mother replied. 
“Young fellows are pretty much all alike; 
not but what I thought that artist looked like 
one of the right kind. Still, it isn’t easy to 
tell. Thing for you to do is, never forget your 
own manners, and be careful, be very careful. 
You see, I haven’t forgotten about that young 
scamp that invited you to the theatre. You 


A CALLER 


189 


acted right in telling me about it afterward, 
and I needn’t ’a’ scolded as I did p’r’aps. 
But you remember he made you think it 
would be all right to go without telling any 
one. Maybe you wasn’t so dreadf’ly to blame, 
still, it ought to be a lesson.” 

“ ’Twas,” said Josie, “ but honestly, ma. I’d 
almost forgotten it.” 

Her mother was silent again for a moment 
or two, and looked half-puzzled as if want- 
ing to say something, yet scarcely knowing 
how to say it. Then she began, slowly: 

The truth is, some folks, partic’larly 
young fellows, might think you was tol’rably 
good-looking. Your skin is pretty good, and 
your teeth have come in even, and so it comes 
easy to pay silly compliments. But don’t ever 
mind them. Remember, ‘ handsome is that 
handsome does ; ’ don’t go thinking of any- 
thing else. Behave like a sensible girl, and 
I sha’n’t be afraid to trust you. That’s the 
whole thing in a nutshell.” 

“ I don’t care anything about my skin or 


190 JOSIE bean: flat street 

my teeth,” said Josie, giggling healthfully, 
and feeling only tremendously relieved that 
her mother’s lecture was so kindly a one. It 
really was excellent advice her mother had 
given, but Josie was so innocent of her own 
charms as hardly to understand why her 
mother need have spoken of her looks at 
all. 

It was a very quiet but also a very pleasant 
Christmas Day that Josie passed at home. As 
she helped get the dinner, which was better 
than usual, she whispered to herself: 

“ How good ma has been! Now, if I keep 
patient and do the very best I can, she may 
grow real gentle, and perhaps come to love 
me better.” 

The poor child! She had felt that her 
mother did not love her very much. The 
loud voice and harsh words had brought 
about that impression. But Josie was mis- 
taken. Yet she wisely resolved to take the 
good advice and try to be very prudent. 

About one thing she was silent. That was 


A CALLER 


191 

the manner and treatment of the girls she 
felt to be far above her. She felt sure in her 
inmost soul that to tell that would bring about 
a storm of displeasure, and make her mother’s 
voice grow harsh again. 

So, after dinner, when she was pulling out 
bastings to help a little, and inwardly rejoic- 
ing that she no longer had to do it all the 
time, she told about cunning little Daffy, kind 
Mrs. Corning, and the money that had been 
paid her. 

“How about the other girls?” asked her 
mother, sharply. 

“ Oh, they came up and spoke pleasantly,” 
Josie replied, carelessly, “but they were all 
taken up with their dancing and with each 
other. I was a stranger, you know.” 

“Yes, I’ll warrant you was!” said her 
mother, the old bitterness in her tone. Then 
she added, more mildly: 

“ P’r’aps, after all, they treated you well as 
I could expect. It was very good of the young 


192 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


man of the house to come home with you, and 
that artist man cert’nly spoke to you like a 
gentleman.” 

“That’s all true, ma,” Josie said, blithely. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


AT THE STUDIO 

Christmas had fallen on Thursday, and 
the next morning at the store Josie told Ma- 
dame Leroy of the chance she had to take 
drawing lessons. 

Madame pondered. “ I will have to speak 
to Mr. Rockson about it,” she said. “ It 
seems a good opportunity to take lessons, but 
two hours means just so much taken out of 
your time at the store each week.” 

Josie looked sober, yet she did not mean to 
give up those lessons. She would sooner go 
back to picking out bastings if it came to that. 

But, after she had been busy in the work- 
room sometime, Madame came to her and 
said that, if on Mondays and Thursdays she 
would bring her lunch to the store, so giving 
193 


194 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


nearly an hour extra there on those days, she 
could take the hour and a little more that it 
would take to go to and from the studio, and 
have an hour for the lesson. 

To this Josie gladly agreed. It would 
prevent her helping her mother at noon, as 
she usually did, but that, she felt, her mother 
would not greatly mind, especially as she paid 
regularly now for her plain food, and often 
at noon her mother would bid her, in an off- 
hand way, either to take a walk or to rest 
herself. 

Now, however, Josie would want her eve- 
nings for drawing, as they would be her only 
time for practice. But, as that was to require 
more eyesight than strength, she felt sure of 
being able to make headway. 

And Madame Leroy was kind enough to 
say that on very stormy days there might be 
time for her to catch up the pencil for a little 
while at the store, if on very forbidding morn- 
ings she chose to bring paper and pencil with 
her. 


AT THE STUDIO 


195 


Of course duties must not be neglected/’ 
Madame said, “ but I have never found you 
backward in attending to duties yet.” 

That was kind, and Josie’s young heart 
warmed afresh toward the good woman who 
had already done so much to help her. 

On the way home, after his call at Flat 
Street, Claude Ellicott was busy with his 
thoughts. For the first time he was asking 
himself how the lofty Miss Corrette and 
proud Gwendolyn Corning would be likely 
to meet Josie in the class on Monday morning. 

Flat Street had been something of a shock 
to him, as it had also been to Wilfred Corn- 
ing. But to his artist’s eye, keen, correct, and 
beauty- fond, Josie had been quite as attractive 
in her dress of navy-blue with its crimson silk 
designs, and in broad daylight, as she had 
been in her pretty dress of white muslin, and 
under the gas-jets. 

I’ve no right to force those girls of 
wealthy parents to meet any one they do not 


196 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

want to,” he murmured, his brow contracting; 
“ neither will I deprive that pretty creature 
of the great pleasure it is plain to see she will 
derive from the lessons. 

“ Neither Miss Bella nor Miss Gwen begin 
to sport the beauty of this young Josie, to my 
way of thinking, nor do I expect to find any- 
thing like the same degree of talent with these 
more favored lassies that I look for with the 
little beauty of the bronze eyes.” 

His brow cleared as he added: 

“ I can do but one thing: let them come 
together as a class on Monday, and, if there 
is any revolt, I will keep dignified, but show 
a little strength of will. I will not send away 
my fairest and most promising pupil! They 
will come for the fun of the thing, those richer 
girls; she, little Miss Josie Bean, will come 
with a purpose, with the purpose of becom- 
ing an artist. She will become an artist, tool ” 

Monday morning: and at a long table in 
the studio of Claude Ellicott sat six young 



“ ‘ WAS EVER THERE SUCH AN IMPERTINENCE KNOWN 

BEFORE ! 




AT THE STUDIO 


197 


girls, all ready to begin a lesson in drawing. 
Then the electric bell of the studio sent forth 
its decisive br-r-r, and Josie Bean was ad- 
mitted. 

At sight of her, Bella Corrette, beautifully 
gowned in an expensive walking suit, shot 
an indignant look at Gwendolyn Corning, 
and another in the direction of Jeannette 
Storm, as who would say: 

Was ever there such an impertinence 
known before! ” 

Gwendolyn looked disturbed and pro- 
voked, Jeannette looked amused. The other 
three pupils, not knowing Josie at all, looked 
simply interested and curious. 

Mr. Ellicott seated Josie at an end of the 
table. It was a conspicuous seat, and the girl 
blushed painfully as she took it, but it was 
not beside any one else, and that was why 
she was placed there. 

It seemed for a few moments as if a resist- 
ive spirit was going to manifest itself, mak- 
ing things unpleasant generally, but, being 


198 JOSIE bean: flat street 

ready to proceed, Mr. Ellicott spoke in a 
pleasant yet masterful tone, which demanded 
attention. Beautifully sharpened drawing 
pencils and copy-books were before each 
pupil, and they were requested to draw lines 
and marks as much like those before them 
on the first page as possible. 

“You do not hold your pencil right, Miss 
Corrette,” Claude said, wanting to fix the 
proud beauty’s attention strictly on her work. 
“ And may I request,” he added, “ that there 
be no talking while the lessons are in prog- 
ress.” 

Beside each pupil the young master stopped 
and gave directions. When he came to Josie, 
he had only words of encouragement and 
praise. 

“ That is good, very good,” he said, ex- 
amining the page carefully. “ Let me see 
how near you can come to producing the per- 
fect circle, said to be the artist’s sternest test.” 

As if by magic, he swung the pencil around, 
leaving on the paper so accurate a circle that 


AT THE STUDIO 


199 


Josie felt an instant ambition to do the same 
thing. Round went her pencil, but alas! the 
first attempt showed more an oval than a cir- 
cle in shape. A second attempt left more a 
kind of gibbous effect than anything else, and 
Josie, laughing and flushing, gave it up. 

The lesson was a new delight to her. When 
it was over, she looked repeatedly at Gwen- 
dolyn Corning, thinking it would be more 
polite to bow to her. But, no, she was not 
permitted to; Gwen kept her head so stiffly 
turned the other way that Josie, feeling in 
haste to return to the store, gathered up her 
precious copy-book and pencils, and nodded 
“good morning” to Mr. Ellicott, but he 
started forward and, opening the door for 
her, said, with a nod and a smile: “ Remem- 
ber, Thursday morning.” 

“ Is she coming all the time? ” asked Bella 
Corrette, as Claude turned back. 

“ Yes,” he said, “ I hope so, for she bids 
fair to make her mark one of these days. Her 
father was an artist of decided talent, and 


200 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Miss Josie has the touch, the finger-tips, and 
the hungry desire, all the three that help 
toward making the painter.” 

“ Have you any other days except Mondays 
and Thursdays for teaching?” asked Gwen- 
dolyn Corning. 

“ No, not for beginners,” said Claude, with 
decision. I am still a student myself in a 
way,” he went on, “ as I am drawing from 
models in another studio, and shall have no 
time for forming other elementary classes.” 

‘‘ We were thinking whether or not we 
cared to keep on,” said Bella, imperiously. 
She was drawing on a pair of kid gloves, and 
the diamonds on her hands sent back flashes 
of rainbow tints as she jerked the gloves over 
them. 

“ There are to be other pupils on Thurs- 
day,” said Claude, speaking with gentle dig- 
nity, “ and, if you do not wish to keep on, 
you and Miss Gwendolyn, it would be better 
to decide at once, as I am to have a limited 
number in this clasS;, and shall not want to 


AT THE STUDIO 


201 


take any more beginners after Thursday. 
Tuesdays and Fridays I have more advanced 
pupils.’’ 

He smiled, the rare smile that lit up his 
fine face, and looked at the two girls inquir- 
ingly. 

“ I shall keep on now I’ve begun,” said 
Gwen, smiling back at him, “ and I want to 
make progress, too.” 

“ Well, come on,” saM Bella. ‘‘ I suppose 
I shall keep on if you do.” 

“Wait a moment,” said Claude, and to 
Gwen’s great satisfaction he went out with 
them. At the end of three long blocks, 
Claude left the girls and went in another 
direction, but it had pleased Gwen to have 
his welcome company even for that distance. 

“ Well! ” broke out Bella, as Claude strode 
away, “ he was up and down enough about 
his old lessons, wasn’t he? Didn’t seem to 
care a straw whether we kept on or not. Do 
you suppose he knew we didn’t care for the 
company of that Miss Decorator? ” 


202 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


Oh, I don’t know,” Gwen answered, care- 
lessly. Then she added more vigorously, her 
color rising a little, “ Yes, I do think he knew 
just how we felt. But do you know, Bella, 
I just like a man that’s bound to go ahead and 
have his own way about his own affairs. 
That’s his drawing class, and I believe he had 
made up his mind to give that Josie lessons, 
and would sooner have seen us all leave, every 
blessed mother’s child of us, than have had 
her leave, and, mad as I was, I liked him 
for it! ” 

I don’t believe Wilfred would have 
thrust her on to us that way,” said Bella. 

“ Oh, don’t you be too sure,” laughed 
Gwen. Wilfred’s got an awful will of his 
own. I’ve heard mamma say more than once 
that she only hoped he would never get his 
head set on any course that would worry her, 
for he would hold on like grim fate. He 
managed to go home with that Josie girl on 
Christmas eve, or rather on Christmas morn- 
ing, as it was.” 


AT THE STUDIO 


203 


Bella stopped short and stamped her foot. 

‘‘You don’t mean it!” she exclaimed. 

Gwen laughed outright. 

“ It all seemed to come about naturally 
enough,” she went on. “ Daffy was scream- 
ing with all her might as the Josie was on 
her way down-stairs to go home much earlier, 
but Daffy saw her, and nothing would do 
but she must go in and hold her. Daffy’s 
taken an immense fancy to her. So the girl 
took Daffy in her lap, and both fell fast 
asleep. When mamma woke her up, after 
you’d all gone home, William and Thomas 
were busy at the stable, so nothing would do 
but Wilfred must see the Josie home.” 

“ Oh, she wanted him fast enough,” sneered 
Bella. 

“ Well, he was admiring her looks when the 
girl woke up, but she seemed to think he was 
speaking of Daffy instead of her.” 

“ I wouldn’t have suspected that Wilfred 
had low tastes,” said Bella, angrily. 

“ My brother hasn’t low tastes,” Gwen an- 


204 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


swered, with spirit, “ nor he wouldn’t feel 
flattered to hear that any one said he had — ” 

“ Dear me,” quickly interrupted Bella, “ I 
didn’t say he really had them. I said I 
shouldn’t suspect that he had.” 

“ What are you two arguing about? ” asked 
a girlish voice just back of them, and they 
turned to see Jeannette Storm, who joined 
them as she added: “ You were so busy with 
your talk that when I called your names twice, 
right behind you, neither one nor the other 
had any ears to hear.” 

“ We were speaking about Claude Elli- 
cott’s queer freak in taking that Josie Bean 
into the art class,” explained Bella. 

“ I thought he made it pretty plain that the 
rest of us might go or stay, as best pleased 
our own sweet selves,” said Jeannette, good- 
naturedly as ever. 

“ I supposed the class was to be select,” 
added Bella. 

So it is,” cried Jeannette; “I’m there! 


AT THE STUDIO 


^05 

Bless your high nobleness, what more could 
you ask? ” 

“What do you think of Miss Bean of Flat 
Street? Is she exactly to your mind?” 

“ Doesn’t trouble me a bit,” said the serene 
Jeannette. “ I only know one thing. I envy 
her her dear little hands. She used her pen- 
cil, too, as if she was used to it. I predict 
she’ll make some good pictures one of these 
days. Day-day, I’ve got to cross here.” 

As Jeannette left them, Gwen said, after a 
moment of quiet, and speaking in a low, 
thoughtful voice: 

“ I think Claude has a very sweet spirit, 
even if he is bound to be a little independent. 
I believe he came out with us girls just to 
let us see he liked us all right, no matter if 
he wasn’t going to urge us to stay in the class.” 

“ I reckon he likes you all right,” said 
Bella. 

“ Oh, I don’t know about that,” Gwen re- 
plied, but there was a pleased light in her 
eyes. 


2o6 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


“ Here comes Wilfred,” exclaimed Bella. 

And, crossing the street, the handsome boy 
bore down on the girls, who received him 
with gay nods, smiles, and merry words of 
welcome. 

As for Josie, she returned to the store with 
mixed feelings of joy and hurt, sensitive pride. 
She had understood the cold, displeased air 
of both Bella Corrette and Gwendolyn Corn- 
ing. 

“ But I don’t care,” she said to herself, “ I 
needn’t mind those proud girls one bit, for 
Mr. Ellicott was just splendid, splendid! ” 


CHAPTER XV. 


GETTING ON 

Two years slipped away. Josie was four- 
teen, taller than at twelve and fairer. She 
had learned many things in the two years that 
passed so swiftly. 

Little by little she had come to realize that 
any real progress she made in life must be 
made in the face of difficulties. She was an 
ambitious girl. She discovered for herself 
that fine taste in one direction was likely to 
reach to her whole nature, and make her de- 
sire the best she could get in all directions. 
She tried to speak correctly, and soon made 
but few mistakes in expressing herself. 

And against her will, but in the natural 
course of events, she had learned to trim hats, 
for she was still at the milliner’s. From do- 


207 


208 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


ing the simplest things, such as learning to 
do “ slight stitch ” in making folds, tacking 
in a lining, mixing sprays of flowers, and 
deftly twisting up a bow, she had learned 
considerable of the milliner’s art. 

And so useful she had made herself, and 
so faithful she was withal, that neither Mr. 
Rockson nor Madame Leroy would have 
parted with her except with the most extreme 
unwillingness. 

She was getting eight dollars a week now, 
very good pay for so young a girl, but she 
earned it. Her quick eye and de-ft fingers 
did much for show-case, table, and form. 
Cheerful, fond of fun, and also willing, Josie 
would have been a valuable assistant in any 
store where she felt happy and at home. And 
at present she was quite content at the great 
millinery house. 

The two years had not been without little 
happenings of importance to attractive Josie. 

On one thing she had insisted. When her 
pay had been last raised, six months before. 


GETTING ON 


209 


she had gone quietly about looking up rooms 
in a different place from Flat Street. And 
she persevered, until one day she heard of a 
woman living in a perfectly respectable part 
of the city who owned her house, and, being 
alone, wanted to rent three good rooms to 
one or two desirable persons. 

Josie had heard the price she had set, which 
was too high for her, but she went to the 
house, and in a businesslike way made an 
offer for the rooms. 

The woman higgled and haggled, but, lik- 
ing Josie’s looks and manners, and finding 
that not another penny would she pay than 
the price she said she could comfortably af- 
ford, she consented to let the rooms, for which 
she was really to receive a fair price. 

Then came the battle with her mother. 
But Josie was to pay the amount over and 
above what her mother was already paying 
for rent, besides paying a small board; they 
could have a neat little sitting-room, which 
Josie had saved the money to furnish plainly. 


210 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Then again, it would be considerably nearer 
to the tailor for whom her mother still 
worked. 

And Josie carried the day. At first there 
was something of a struggle, for her mother 
had not yet learned to speak softly, and she 
had to say in ungracious terms that what had 
been good enough for her for years ought 
to be good enough still, and for Josie also. 
But she was growing proud of her smart and 
pretty daughter, and did not choose to carry 
things with too high a hand. Josie would 
not scold back, but she might quietly go her 
own way, and that would never, never do. 

Once settled in the new quarters, Josie de- 
clared she felt like another girl, living in a 
new neighborhood, and having a really nice 
little home. 

And the drawing lessons? Oh, she had 
come on famously. Near the end of a year, 
so great had become her desire to paint even 
ever so little that she secretly bought a few 
brushes and paints — expensive things those 


GETTING ON 


.211 


— and began “ doing ” some of her drawings 
in colors. 

Surely Nature taught her. Once, on a 
holiday, she went to a little park, taking 
luncheon and drawing materials and remain- 
ing nearly all day. There she sketched a 
robin of the oriole type that came and eyed 
her, and then hovered near, condescending 
at intervals to gobble the crumbs she kept 
throwing down. 

On different parts of the accurate sketch 
she wrote the tints to be worked in. On the 
topknot was faintly traced, “ gold, blue, and 
green;” at the breast “scarlet;” the back, 
“ black and gold,” and so on. 

At odd times for several days she worked 
at her robin. When it was done she showed 
it to Mr. Ellicott. He opened wide his as- 
tonished eyes. 

“ Did you do that? ” he asked. 

“ Yes, from life.” 

“ You can take up painting at once,” was 
the significant reply. 


212 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Of course Josie worked hard. Yet such 
was her perfect joy and satisfaction in sketch- 
ing and painting that it never occurred to her 
that she was working, when in the studio or 
at home she had pencil or brush in hand. 

In a corner of her' bureau drawer, under 
the paper that served as a lining, was some- 
thing that not for the world would the sensi- 
tive girl have had any one see but herself. 

On one occasion Mr. Ellicott had had some 
photographs taken, which were so excellent 
and true to life that Josie, with a touch of 
the old timidity, asked if she might take one 
home to show her mother. 

Mr. Ellicott laughingly consented, and 
Josie did show it to her mother, but, sitting 
until very late that night by herself, she cop- 
ied as nearly as she could every detail of 
the picture. Then she hid the copy away. 
When, after several sly seasons at work, she 
had colored it, many an aspiring young artist 
might have envied her the work of her skilful 
hands. But no money would have bought it! 


GETTING ON 


213 


For Claude Ellicott, artist and gentleman, 
was to Josie at once the kindest, most gen- 
erous, most perfect-mannered young man she 
had ever seen or ever expected to see. 

The girl had gone from the Monday and 
Thursday class to that of Tuesdays and Fri- 
days, for more advanced pupils. And, unex- 
pectedly, to Claude’s surprise. Miss Gwendo- 
lyn Corning had developed quite an artist’s 
vein. Not the ability that Josie possessed, yet 
Gwendolyn, dressy, chatty, and strangely am- 
bitious where the lessons in art were con- 
cerned, bent to the work with an ardor that 
brought a good degree of success. 

Down deep in her heart she admired 
Claude Ellicott every whit as sincerely as did 
poor Josie. His every word of praise was 
music to her ears. And Gwen was able to 
offer perfectly proper returns to the young 
artist besides paying well for her lessons, — 
returns such as Josie could not dream of offer- 
ing. 

There were occasional receptions at the 


214 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


fine house on Wilton Terrace and there were 
art-galleries and picture stores to be visited, 
Wilfred Corning and Bella Corrette gener- 
ally going too, for Bella still took lessons 
at the studio in a straggling sort of way. 

Josie knew it all. Gwendolyn never more 
than bowed distantly to the young “ milliner 
girl,’’ as she regarded her, but she prated dis- 
tinctly enough of the different occasions when, 
in company with Claude, she went here and 
there, or perhaps met him at receptions and 
entertainments, for the popular young artist 
it would seem was wanted almost everywhere. 

From Gwendolyn’s talk alone, Josie gath- 
ered and held the belief that Claude was very 
fond of the rich and pretty girl. And in her 
girlish heart it became unconsciously a dream 
that lingered and lingered, of how great and 
beautiful a thing it must be to have so fine 
and good and gifted a young man for a con- 
stant and loving friend. Surely Gwen must 
be very, very happy! 

Yet — there were times when Josie won- 


GETTING ON 


215 


dered if Gwen would quite like it if she knew 
how kind Claude was to her, — to her, Josie 
Bean of Flat Street. He was always so kind! 
Josie had offered to pay something for her 
lessons, as her pay was increased at the store. 
No, he would not take a penny. Then she 
said, shyly, that she must at least pay for some 
of the material used. 

“ No, you are my only ^ foster pupil,’ ” he 
replied, looking into her bronze eyes and 
smiling genially. Don’t spoil the pleasure 
I take in teaching you. It won’t be so very 
long that I can teach you much more, I fear.” 

A few times he had asked Josie if she could 
be spared from the store to attend exhibitions 
of paintings by celebrated artists. And Ma- 
dame Leroy always said, “ Yes,” for she knew 
of Claude Ellicott, and was not afraid to grant 
the delightful favor. 

Things also had happened during the two 
years just sped that showed the fine little char- 
acter Josie possessed. 

On several Saturday nights, when the store 


2I6 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


was open until nine o’clock, Wilfred Corning 
had dropped in, making some slight purchase. 
Once it was “ lute string ” with which to tie 
up papers. 

“ You know,” he said, laughingly, “ lawyers 
generally carry green baize bags, and in them 
are important ^ legal papers,’ so called. We 
tie the papers or documents with red tape, 
or red lute string; it’s the fashion. I’m bound 
to look as professional as the older law boys, 
— hence, have you red lute string?” 

Another time he wanted to surprise Dafify 
with a new ribbon to put around the neck 
of “ Fuzz,” her Angora kitten. 

Still again, he wanted a tiny feather and a 
rose to twine about a funny valentine. 

But, after these and other purchases, on 
starting for home, Josie would be surprised at 
finding her elbow had slipped into the hollow 
of a strong young hand. And there, laughing 
and chatting with an air of good comradeship 
it was hard to resist, would be Wilfred Corn- 
ing, pacing along as if it was only the most 


GETTING ON 


217 


natural thing in the world that he should be 
trudging by Josie’s side, and seeing that she 
reached Flat Street in safety. 

Josie, in a matter-of-fact way, told her 
mother of the purchases, and also of the walk 
home afterward. At last her mother one 
night asked, sharply: 

“ What’s that smart young man dropping 
into the store for so often on Saturday nights, 
then coming along home with you? Comes 
in the dark, you see. And what about that 
peacock of a girl that dwaddles over art les- 
sons for the sake of keeping in with his sis- 
ter? ” 

Mrs. Bean never “ dwaddled ” over things 
she had to say. And scraps that Josie had told 
from time to time, perhaps in laughing mood, 
she had pieced together in her mind and 
formed her own conclusions. Yet Josie won- 
dered now how her mother knew so much. 

But to her first question, Josie replied: 

“ Why, he comes into the store for little 


2i8 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


things he wants, then walks home with me 
just for fun, I suppose.” 

“ I’ll come for you next Saturday night,” 
her mother said. 

And go for her she did. As Wilfred made 
his usual trifling purchase, an ordinary look- 
ing woman came up to Josie, and said, in 
rather loud tones: 

“ Come, daughter, most time for you to be 
going. I stopped in for you on the way 
down.” 

Josie blushed furiously, but said, stoutly: 

“ Yes, ma. I’ll be ready in a minute.” 

Wilfred took the hint. He did not appear 
on Saturday nights after that. Better so, al- 
though Josie felt uncomfortable over the af- 
fair. 

Yet Wilfred was not quite driven away. It 
did not escape Madame Leroy’s keen eyes 
that the handsome son of Mrs. Jasper Corn- 
ing found it convenient to drop into the store 
every few days on a real or pretended errand. 
And it was noticeable that it must always be 


GETTING ON 


219 


the tall young girl with a wealth of bronze 
hair, and with eyes to match, that must wait 
upon him. 

Sometimes Josie would really forget to 
mention the call to her mother, then again she 
would speak of it. But, whenever she did, 
there was so much grumbling and so many 
disagreeable things said, that the girl began 
wondering after awhile if it was best to speak 
of so trifling an affair when it caused so much 
disturbance. 

But she was too outspoken to like conceal- 
ment, and would doubtless have gone on tell- 
ing of Wilfred’s calls had it not been that 
her mother broke into such violent speech one 
night when she spoke of his having come into 
the store that she said: 

“ I promised, ma, to tell you whenever a 
young fellow talked with me in the store or 
walked home with me, but it makes so much 
trouble that I won’t promise it any longer. 
You hinted, too, that I asked Mr. Wilfred 
Corning to come. I never did in my life! 


220 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


What’s more, I wouldn’t care if I never saw 
him again. I’m tired all out with the talk 
that’s made every time I mention his name! ” 

Mrs. Bean saw her mistake, but would not 
own it; instead, she said, angrily,: 

“ I’ll tell that Madame to drive him away 
next time he comes.” 

Josie made no reply. She knew very well 
her mother would do nothing of the kind. 
Scold as she might at home, she stood in awe 
of people who were above her. She would 
have been afraid to address either Mr. Rock- 
son or Madame Leroy. But, seeing the anx- 
ious look on her mother’s face, Josie said, 
after a few moments: 

I sha’n’t do anything either rude or 
wrong, ma, so you needn’t be afraid, but I 
mean it when I say I don’t want any more 
trouble. I come home tired and want things 
pleasant. If Mr. Corning comes to the store 
too often, you’d better believe Madame Le- 
roy will drive him away. She sees all that 
is going on. So rest easy.” 


GETTING ON 


221 


Several times after that, it happened that 
Wilfred, on Tuesdays and Fridays, turned 
into a certain street not far from the studio 
just as Josie reached it also. The walk from 
the corner to the milliner’s was not far. But 
it seemed as though the young lawyer could 
not let more than a very few days go by with- 
out seeing the morning-like face of Claude 
Ellicott’s “ foster pupil.” 

“ That isn’t ^ coming in the dark,’ ” chuck- 
led Josie. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


THE GREAT FAIR 

Still another year slipped away. Young 
as she was, Josie began to think how the time 
flew by. Fifteen and not far from sixteen. 
“ I am actually getting to be a young lady,” 
she said. 

So busy still were the hours of each bright 
day that life was full of activity and charm. 

“ Painting, oh, painting! ” Josie made the 
exclamation with a voice full of fervor and 
gladness. “ I would rather be a painter,” she 
added, ‘‘ than anything else in the world.” 

She had copied the Dutch interior,” and, 
although under Mr. Ellicotfls instruction she 
had corrected some of her father’s touches, 
she yet could see plainly that she had not at- 
tained to her father’s skill in other directions. 


222 


THE GREAT FAIR 


223 


“ But I will some day,” she told herself con- 
fidently. 

One morning, as she was busily engaged 
grouping some artificial flowers for the win- 
dow, a large, handsomely dressed woman 
came into the store, and, after looking around 
hurried in a businesslike way over to where 
Josie was standing. 

“ Ah, good morning,” she said, briskly, “ is 
this the young lady who has shown consid- 
erable taste in decorating in times past? Miss 
Bean, did Mr. Ellicott call you? ” 

Josie’s heart gave a quick throb at hearing 
the magic name, and she blushed becom- 
ingly. 

“ I am Miss Bean,” she said,, modestly. 

Well, now, my dear, I must talk fast, for 
time is precious, precious to you ” — the lady 
bowed toward Josie with a quick smile — 
“ as well as to me. But IVe come to see if 
I could engage you for something very nice, 
and you won’t refuse me, will you?” 

I hope not,” Josie said, smiling as she 


224 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


spoke. She liked the friendly air and coax- 
ing voice of the bustling lady. 

“ The fact is, there is to be a great fair in 
about three weeks at the Academy.” 

She meant the local Academy of Music, 
and Josie understood. She went on: 

The veterans of the G. A. R. — Grand 
Army of the Republic, my dear — have sent 
word to the churches and to many of our pub- 
lic organizations that, if all will kindly aid 
them in getting up a successful fair, enabling 
them with the proceeds to furnish their new 
hall, they will promise that it shall be the last 
time they will ask assistance of the public. 
So do it we will. Thinning off fast, my dear, 
the veterans; most of them old enough to be 
your grandfather. 

“ Well, now. Miss Bean, we want of course 
to make this a success, a grand success! So 
we are striving to get the best talent in every 
way. And our young people are taking hold 
beautifully, beautifully! Claude Ellicott is 
going to give two oil-paintings that ought to 


THE GREAT FAIR 


225 


sell for enough to furnish one corner of the 
room, and a good big corner, too. Mr. Cor- 
rette, one of our wealthiest citizens, gives fifty 
boxes of Havana cigars. Spanish, you see, 
and being a tobacconist knows the best brands, 
you can depend. 

“ Mr. Corning, another wealthy citizen, 
gives china ware of exquisite quality; deals 
in it, and knows how to select the most catchy, 
salable pieces for such an affair. 

“ Mr. Twitchell gives an elegant baby car- 
riage and three lovely wicker chairs. Sure 
to sell, all of them! 

Kemp & Seaman give a kitchen range and 
three fire-screens, valuable, really valuable, 
and so on. 

“Now,” smiling blandly, “you’re a little 
patriot, I suppose?” . 

“Oh, yes,” said Josie, “I think I am.” 

“ All good girls and boys are patriots, or 
at least should be, and so of course want to 
help all they can when such a cause is pre- 
sented. And it is always expected that at a 


226 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


fair of this kind some entertainment will be 
furnished, and there seems to be nothing else 
that quite so completely takes the public eye 
and fancy as tableaux. Good tableaux, my 
dear, are always a great attraction. 

“ And what does my husband do but goes 
and offers my services in arranging for the 
tableaux! The fair is to last four evenings, 
and these living pictures are to be presented 
on the first two. My daughter, as it happens, 
has been a pupil of Mr. Claude Ellicott, and 
I thought to myself, ‘Now that artist is just 
the person to tell who can assist me in getting 
up the tableaux.’ 

“ What I want is some one with an ar- 
tistic eye who will assist in dressing the young 
girls who pose in the pictures, and will give 
directions as to posing. So I said to Mr. 
Storm, — by the way, I am Mrs. Storm, — so 
I said to my husband, I was going straight to 
Mr. Ellicott for advice as to who could tell 
about getting up costumes and all the other 
points IVe spoken of, and he sent me to you. 


THE GREAT FAIR 


527 


‘‘ My daughter Jeannette took lessons of 
Mr. Ellicott for over a year, and when I told 
her he sent me to you, she said — now don’t 
blush, but she said that didn’t surprise her 
at all; you always was a pet pupil in that 
studio.” 

Josie did blush as the long harangue ended. 
Her mind had been running over what it 
would involve to undertake anything of that 
kind. She remembered having found Jean- 
nette Storm much more friendly than the 
other girls at the studio had been. She had 
dropped out of the class several months be- 
fore, but always bowed pleasantly whenever 
they met. Jeannette was engaged now, and 
soon to be married. 

As Josie hesitated in replying, Mrs. Storm 
added: 

“ All kinds of fancy things are offered for 
our use. Some of the dresses the girls will 
furnish themselves. Couldn’t you think up 
the subjects, you and Mr. Ellicott between 
you, taken, perhaps, from famous pictures? 


228 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


Oh, and Mrs. Corning, one of our prominent 
ladies, says she will lend her little Daffy, a 
beautiful little creature of six years, for a 
‘ Cupid Midst the Flowers,’ if she will only 
agree to stand for it.” 

“ I know Daffy,” said Josie, dimpling, “ or 
used to, and I think she would do it for me 
if I coaxed her.” 

“Capital!” exclaimed Mrs. Storm, “and 
do you know Miss Gwen and Miss Do-do or 
Dorothy Corning? They will take part.” 

Josie’s eyes fell. “ I only decorated a 
Christmas tree at their house once; they’ve 
forgotten me now.” 

“ My dear,” the voice grew sympathetic, 
and Josie all at once thought Mrs. Storm very 
nice, “ my dear, we never should forget each 
other in this world. We are all children of 
the same kind Father, and if we know a per- 
son once, it should be forever. I hope my 
Jeannette has never forgotten.” 

“ No, no, she hasn’t,” Josie hastened to say. 


THE GREAT FAIR 


229 


“ She always speaks to me as pleasantly as can 
be whenever we meet each other.” 

And so should the Corning girls. But 
never mind, there will be several young peo- 
ple to take part, and the tableaux will be the 
same on the two evenings. The fewer the 
subjects, the better they will be given. Now 
you’ll help out, I know; that’s a dear.” 

“ But I never have done anything of that 
kind,” said Josie, her eyes big and frightened. 
“ I’m afraid I shouldn’t know how.” 

“Yes, yes, you will; you’ll spring to it as 
naturally as can be. Mr. Ellicott will help 
with the subjects, then the way they should 
be dressed will come to you like a flash. And, 
I nearly forgot, but Mr. Ellicott said you 
must be in one of the pictures, by all means.” 

From the first moment of hearing what was 
wanted of her, Josie had felt within herself 
that she would indeed spring to it. All her 
artistic sense was roused, and in her young 
mind she already saw Daffy a sweet, half- 
dressed little nymph amidst the flowers. 


230 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


But alas! A serpent at once crept into the 
garden of her thoughts. Bella Corrette 
would never, never submit to suggestions 
coming from her. And Gwendolyn Corning, 
— would she allow her to pin flowers or drape 
laces about her dainty figure? No, no! 

Mrs. Storm saw the resolve settling in the 
young girl’s face, and hurried to prevent 
it. 

‘‘ Now don’t say you can’t, my dear, I beg 
you don’t. If you knew how discouraging 
it was to have people refuse to help when you 
take the trouble to run after them, you would 
surely gratify me.” 

Truthful Josie came to the facts pointblank. 
She almost whispered: 

‘‘ Some of the young people wouldn’t let 
me arrange them.” 

“ Oh, that is the hitch, is it? Very well, 
then, they needn’t. My daughter won’t re- 
fuse, and she is quite as choice and quite as 
good looking as any of the rest. Mr. Ellicott 
is to take part, so is Wilfred Corning and 


THE GREAT FAIR 


231 


Harry Sample, Archibald Fleming, and Dick 
Sandport. So much for the young men. 

“ It is my opinion that the young ladies, 
who certainly approve of these young gentle- 
men on other occasions, won’t refuse to be 
ornamented and given attitudes by the person 
chosen by the committee to do the work and 
urged to do it. Say yes, my dear, say yes! ” 

“ I’ll try, and I’ll do my very best,” as- 
sented Josie. 

“Now that’s a good girl, and you’ll do 
splendidly, I know you will. The rehearsals 
are all to be evenings, and Mr. Ellicott is 
going to omit two lessons in order on those 
days to discuss and plan about the tableaux.” 

Then Mrs. Storm departed, all smiles and 
satisfaction at having settled that part of the 
business. 

Immediately Josie was in Dreamland. 
The first fond fancy was that of finding her- 
self in company with Claude Ellicott, her 
ideal, planning the subjects of the tableaux. 
Then came visions of how she would pin and 


232 JOSIE bean: flat street 

loop and drape; perch a feather or poi^e a 
feather or bow. 

At the first meeting of what was called 
“The Executive Committee,” Josie trembled 
at finding herself one of a company of select, 
capable men and women, Claude Ellicott at 
her side. Together they had planned the 
names and subjects of five tableaux. A sixth 
was not quite decided upon. When they came 
to these. Miss Josephine Bean was called upon 
to read them. 

The modest, picture-like girl did not once 
raise her eyes as she read in a clear voice: 

“ Picture number one : ‘ A Southern 

Beauty,’ Miss Bella Corrette.” 

This was received with applause. 

“Number two: ‘A Northern Belle,’ Miss 
Gwendolyn Corning and suitors.” 

Applause again. 

“ Number three: ‘ Cupid Midst the Flow- 
ers,’ Little Margaret, or ^ Dafiy,’ Corning. 

Some laughing and clapping of hands. 


THE GREAT FAIR 


233 


‘‘Number four: ‘A Coquette,’ Miss 
Jeannette Storm, two gallants in attendance.” 

A hearty clapping of hands again. 

“Number five: ‘The Sailor’s Sweetheart,’ 
Miss Genevieve Mellen, a sailor suitor pres- 
ent.” 

This was applauded vigorously, and Josie’s 
list was complete. 

Then Mr. Ellicott arose and announced the 
sixth and last tableau to be presented: 

“‘The Gipsy Girl and the Troubadour,’ 
Miss Josephine Bean and Cavalier.” 

This was received with the heartiest round 
of applause of all. The young men had pur- 
posely kept back their names who were to 
figure in the pictures, thinking their wigs and 
furbelows would disguise them to a degree, 
and give their friends some fun in making 
them out. But some waggish fellow at the 
meeting now sung out in sport: 

“Give us the troubadour!” 

“ That is known to but one person,” said 
Claude, with a mischievous smile. 


234 JOSIE bean: flat street 


‘‘ Give us the troubadour,” was laughingly 
repeated. 

“ We will on the first night of the fair,” 
Claude replied. 

“ Is he selected?” cried the voice. 

Yes, sir.” 

Who chose him? ” 

“ I did!” Claude answered, in his master- 
ful way. 

But this was all a puzzle to Josie. It was 
the first she had heard of having been really 
chosen herself to figure in one of the tableaux, 
and she was as much in the dark as to her 
troubadour as any one in the hall, save the 
person whom Claude had said knew. 

Josie did not find it all honey and balm 
preparing for the tableaux. As it was desired 
that all unnecessary expense should be 
avoided, that the more of what people had 
to give should flow into the treasury, no cos- 
tumes were to be hired, except those of the 
young men. These must be of necessity. But 


THE GREAT FAIR 


235 


Josie made out a careful list and description 
of the dresses and finery wanted for the young 
ladies, and each one for herself bought or 
borrowed what was needed. 

The night of the first rehearsal, Josie, who 
had been told to go fearlessly about her duties, 
was to prepare each one before the posing 
took place. Bella Corrette, already arrayed 
in fluffy muslin, was directing a maid she had 
brought with her to dispose bunches of arti- 
ficial poppies about her dress. The disposi- 
tion was not at all to Josie’s liking. 

But when she timidly hinted that the ar- 
rangement had better be different, Bella 
looked at her coolly and said they suited her, 
and that was all that was necessary. 

Now Josie was no saint. Sweet-tempered 
and of even disposition as she naturally was, 
she had dreaded this very encounter, and to 
meet with defiance and cold resistance at the 
outset was discouraging. 

“ I can’t do it,” she said to herself, “ and 


236 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


— I won’t! I respect myself and mean to, 
no matter what that girl may think.” 

She went to the outer dressing-room and 
began putting on her coat and hat. There 
she encountered Mrs. Storm. 

“Why, why, how’s this?” began that vol- 
uble lady. “ Just coming? -Aren’t you rather 
late?” 

“No, I’m going,” said Josie. Then seeing 
Mrs. Storm’s look of inquiry and anxiety, she 
added, in a voice that trembled : 

“ I am going home. It is just as I expected 
it would be. Miss Corrette wouldn’t let me 
fix her up at all. She had some poppies put 
on in a way that would look ridiculously in 
a picture. I wouldn’t want any one to think 
I had anything to do with such an arrange- 
ment. I felt frightened half to death to speak 
to her, but when I did, she looked at me so 
that I felt frozen, frozen all through, and she 
said she was satisfied, and that was all that 
was necessary.” 

“ My dear,” said Mrs. Storm, in a com- 


THE GREAT FAIR 




manding tone, “ you come right back to that 
dressing-room. The committee have ap- 
pointed you to direct these things, and any 
one opposing you can drop her part at once. 
We can do without Mr. Corrette’s cigars if 
it comes to that.’’ 

But Josie was not to be easily coaxed or 
urged. 

“ It will be the same all through,” she said, 
almost crying. “ Some one else must take 
my place. I know I am not rich,” she added, 
p^hetically, but I cannot be spurned, espe- 
cially when I am willingly doing the best I 
can.” 

Mrs. Storm, kind but determined, was about 
to say she did not blame her for feeling as 
she did, then refuse to release her, when Wil- 
fred Corning made his appearance. Some- 
what to Mrs. Storm’s surprise, he greeted 
Josie much as one would greet a well-known 
friend. 

“ Whither away? ” he asked, blithely. “ I 


238 JOSIE bean: flat street 

thought you was dressing-bureau and grand 
fixer of parts.”. 

Mrs. Storm, nothing loth, explained mat- 
ters with exactness. 

“ You just prance back to the inside dress- 
ing-room,” said Wilfred, taking Josie by the 
arm. “ I’ll fix things up in about two minutes, 
so there’ll be no further trouble. Come on,” 
he urged, with comrade-like insistence, as 
Josie still held back, “ I’ll pledge my word 
and honor as a gentleman of quality and a 
lawyer of obscurity that, if there’s another 
disagreeable word. I’ll take myself off and 
you with me. Now then, just try it! ” 

Mrs. Storm bent over with laughter. And 
Josie, not wishing to appear merely cross or 
obstinate, laid back her cloak and hat, and, in 
company with Wilfred Corning and Mrs. 
Storm, returned to the inner dressing-room. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


THE TABLEAUX 

JOSIE felt relieved when, a moment later, 
in came little Daffy Corning with her nurse. 
The child had not forgotten her, for Josie 
had several times seen her either in stores or 
on the street. 

Ellen came forward and asked Josie if 
Daffy could do her part first, as her mother 
wanted her to go home and to bed as soon 
as possible. 

This was a welcome diversion. 

Josie had the nurse at once take off the 
child’s outer garments, then came the posing, 
injunctions only to smile, not laugh, and di- 
rections as to holding the bow and arrow. 

Daffy did beautifully, entering into the 
spirit of the thing so obediently and gleefully 
239 


240 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 

that Josie felt almost sure of her doing all 
right on the nights of the fair. 

After that^ everything went on with perfect 
smoothness. The girls put themselves in 
Josie’s hands without demur, and, if they 
were distant in manner, she did not care for 
that. 

Several people were in the hall to act as 
critics as the various tableaux were shown. 
The young men were not to don their pictur- 
esque garbs at rehearsals, it being entirely 
unnecessary, but each picture as it was shown 
called forth only unstinted praise. 

When it had come time to arrange Bella 
Corrette, Josie said never a word, simply went 
up to her and began pinning on the rich red 
poppies as best suited her. Miss Bella had 
decided to adopt a change of manner. 

“ Are you sure the flowers and ribbons are 
all right? ” she asked, blandly. 

“ I can’t tell whether they are until I have 
seen you as a picture,” Josie replied. “ As 



“JOSIE SAID NEVER A WORD, SIMPLY WENT UP TO HER 
AND BEGAN PINNING ON THE RICH RED POPPIES ” 





THE TABLEAUX 


241 


soon as I see you on the stage, I shall know 
if things look as they should.” 

Bella laughed a little affectedly. “ I 
reckon you are something of an artist,” she 
said. 

“ I know how I want things to look,” Josie 
replied, quietly. 

She did not know just what had brought 
about the change in Bella’s manner, although 
she partly guessed. 

Wilfred Corning knew perfectly. He had 
gone up to her, being greeted as usual with 
one of the beauty’s sweetest smiles. 

Come, Bella,” he began, “ you know it 
won’t do to snub the little Bean in this affair. 
She has been regularly chosen to arrange and 
embellish the figures for the tableaux because 
of her great taste and her artist’s eye. I found 
her going home, all Mrs. Storm could say. 
I induced her to come back, promising that 
she should have no more trouble.” 

Bella’s face flushed. “ You seem to have 


2^2 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


considerable influence with the ‘ little Bean,’ ” 
she said, stiffly. 

“ I’ve considerable influence in wanting 
this affair to go through all right, now we’ve 
begun it,” Wilfred replied. He waited a 
moment, then added: 

‘‘ Perhaps, if you girls don’t want Miss 
Josie to do anything about your dresses or 
fixings, I’d better tell her I’ll go home with 
her, after all. She’s a good girl, and I don’t 
think ought to be worried. I’m not willing 
to see her worried, either.” 

The words struck a chill to the heart of 
haughty Bella. “ He is actually for protect- 
ing her,” she thought; “ threatens to go home 
with her if she is not treated just so. No, 
oh, no, I can’t have that! Wilfred Corning 
sha’n’t have that excuse for seeing the girl 
home.” 

Aloud, she began jauntily: “ I haven’t any 
particular objections to having the Miss Bean 
fix me up, if, as you say, she has been ap- 
pointed to see to the dressing and posing. I 


THE TABLEAUX 


243 


thought she just wanted to meddle, and nat- 
urally I objected.” 

“ But she is sensitive,” persisted Wilfred, 
“ and unless she is treated really well cannot 
do her best, and is too sensible to try.” 

“ Defending her pretty warmly,” said 
Bella, her lip curling. 

“ Well, I shouldn’t think much of a fellow 
who wouldn’t speak a word for a young crea- 
ture who is willing to accommodate, but sim- 
ply won’t try under great discouragement.” 
Wilfred spoke right manfully. 

“ Oh, do see Daffy! ” Bella exclaimed, feel- 
ing glad to change the subject. 

The curtain improvised for the rehearsals 
had been drawn aside, and Daffy, cutely 
poised and entering merrily into the fun, as 
she regarded it, made so lovely a Cupid that 
every one was delighted with her. 

The girl has talent, and no mistake,” ad- 
mitted Miss Bella. “ It probably will be bet- 
ter to let her have her own way with us this 


once. 


244 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


The first night of the fair, when the tab- 
leaux were to be presented, the hall was lit- 
erally crammed. It had gone abroad that 
some of the wealthiest and prettiest girls of 
the place were to take part. Expectation was 
on tiptoe when the curtain was raised, and 
Miss Bella Corrette appeared as “ A South- 
ern Beauty.” 

Bella was exquisite, and a great storm of 
applause greeted the picture. Dressed in 
gauze over deep red silk, with low neck and 
short sleeves, her rich beauty fairly glowed 
midst ornamentations of the same deep red 
double poppies. The flowers were artificial 
and so easily managed. 

Her dark hair fell about her shoulders, a 
cluster of poppies catching it away from her 
forehead at one side. 

Poppies lay agaiinst her white neck just 
at the edge of the waist, were held in her 
hands, and fastened in clumps at her belt 
and on her skirt. She was looking up into 
an evergreen-tree, on which was a stuffed 


THE TABLEAUX 


245 


mocking-bird, in a way to show her fine eyes, 
and laughing in a way to show her white, 
even teeth. 

This was shown three times before the 
crowd was satisfied. 

The next picture, “ A Northern Belle,” 
showed Miss Gwendolyn Corning, dressed 
in stifif pink silk, her hair arranged high on 
her head and surmounted by an enormous 
shell comb. A string of pearls was around 
her neck, the waist being cut square at the 
top. White roses were against her breast and 
a clump was held in one hand. In the other 
hand was a bespangled fan held idly, while 
she cast proud glances at two young cavaliers 
who approached in a fawning way. The 
young men were in evening dress. 

This picture also pleased the throng, who 
insisted on seeing it again and again. 

The third picture was a thing of beauty 
and a charm indeed. “ Cupid Midst the 
Flowers.” 

Breezy little Daffy Corning did her part 


246 JOSIE bean: flat street 

faultlessly, coached and coaxed by Josie, 
whom she seemed still to admire. The win- 
some little creature appeared to have an in- 
stinctive love of posing. Her muslin skirts, 
ruffled to the waist, were short enough to show 
her snowy, dimpled knees, as, without shoes 
or stockings, she stood, her fair little feet 
midst a bed of flowers and mosses that Josie 
cunningly concocted with crimpled green 
paper and artificial flowers. Mr. Rockson 
loaned the latter. 

The child’s neck and arms were without 
covering except for the shower of shimmering 
hair that fell like spun gold about her shoul- 
ders, and a narrow band covered with small 
flowers in place of sleeves. Flowers fastened 
to invisible wires surrounded her on every 
side, while gauzy wings deftly confined at her 
back spread out from her dimpled shoulders. 

She was laughing gleefully, while hold- 
ing gracefully a bow and arrow, aiming at 
a great red heart which hung illumined from 
a bough of the useful evergreen-tree, 


THE TABLEAUX 


247 


There was such spontaneous, instant ap- 
plause as this picture appeared that the cur- 
tain was soon dropped, as Josie feared the 
child would not long hold her position. But 
Daffy, after lowering the bow for a moment 
of rest, wanted the next moment to be shown 
again. 

Not until she had been seen four times, and 
each time a moment or two longer than be- 
fore, did the vigorous, insistent applause 
abate. 

And then the monkey begged to pose again. 
She had done her part perfectly, to Josie’s 
great delight. 

Next followed A Coquette.” In this tab- 
leau, Miss Jeannette Storm appeared dressed 
in old style. Over a petticoat of light blue 
satin was puffed and looped an overdress of 
white brocaded silk, with a short waist cut 
in a low circle around the neck. Her hair, 
dressed in high-reaching puffs, was powdered 
and beautifully white. Between the puffs 
were loops of pearls. The sleeves came barely 


248 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


to the elbows, then from them hung cascades 
of filmy lace. She also wore high-heeled 
slippers of pale blue satin with large ro- 
settes. 

This grand young mistress of “ ye olden 
tyme ” was receiving a bouquet of showy 
flowers with one hand from a love-sick swain, 
who, in tight small-clothes, blue coat with 
brass buttons, and high, stiff stock, was kneel- 
ing before her, while with the other hand she 
was slyly taking another bouquet from a sec- 
ond love-lorn admirer, who was kneeling be- 
hind her, being concealed from the first swain 
by the “ ladye’s ” ample skirts. The beau at 
the rear was arrayed similarly to the one in 
front. 

This picture elicited much laughter and 
applause, the amused spectators seeing it 
three times and then not appearing satisfied. 

The fifth tableau announced was ‘‘ The 
Sailor’s Sweetheart,” in which Miss Gene- 
vieve Mellen, a picturesque looking girl, with 
high color and strong yet sweet features, sat 


THE TABLEAUX 


249 


reading a letter on an overturned boat sup- 
posed to be by the sea. 

On her head was a small lace cap, beneath 
which the wanton curls were freely straying, 
some even lying loose on her shoulders. Her 
waist of sky-blue was cut square in the neck 
and laced over white puffings. A white skirt 
was looped over a blue petticoat. Large 
puffed sleeves of white cambric were tied 
with black velvet ribbon at elbows and 
wrists. 

At a little distance, peeping from behind 
some rude bars, stood her sailor lover. Wil- 
fred Coming’s tall, lithe figure was unmis- 
takable. He wore a sailor’s blouse, well 
opened at the throat, a flat cap with ends of 
narrow ribbon hanging from it behind, and 
the regular sailor’s trousers, wide at the an- 
kles. Side-whiskers, ingeniously fastened on, 
ludicrously changed his looks. 

Miss Genevieve’s face was pleased and 
smiling, Wilfred’s watchful and anxious. 

This picture was complete of its kind, ap- 


250 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


pearing exceedingly like the fine painting 
from which it was taken, and it did not fail 
to please the audience quite as much as any 
that had preceded it. 

There was a little extra delay before the 
sixth and last tableau of the evening appeared, 
as Josie would not prepare herself until the 
others had been shown. 

More than an ordinary degree of interest 
attached to this picture, owing to Claude Elli- 
cott’s great popularity, for it had been freely 
rumored that he was to appear in it. At 
length it was announced: 

The Gipsy and the Troubadour.” Once 
the curtain went up, the great company stood 
spellbound. 

Josie had decked herself with reference to 
correct effect, after borrowing material freely 
furnished her by Madame Leroy and other 
friends at the store. When, with much 
thumping of her young heart, she found who 
was to be her self-appointed troubadour, she 
knew in that swiftly beating heart that she 


THE TABLEAUX 


251 


would study out the very tastefulest attire pro- 
curable. 

Her wealth of hair, showing its red-gold 
directly under the gaslight, was caught here 
and there by glittering silver stars. The bod- 
ice of black velvet was covered with silver 
spangles, and went into deep points reaching 
well below the waist line. This gave her a 
peculiarly slight figure. 

A deep scarlet skirt, really made of tissue- 
paper and covered with silver spangles, was 
bunched up over a yellow petticoat also made 
of paper and covered with silver tinsel grace- 
fully looped on. The petticoat reached 
barely to her ankles. 

The gipsy’s waist was low in the neck, and 
had merely narrow bands of scarlet ribbon 
with prettily twisted bows in the middle an- 
swering for sleeves. But around the white 
neck was a band of black velvet covered with 
silver spangles, and on the lower arms were 
the same black bands and spangles. 

She wore silk stockings, which showed 


252 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


plainly above the high-heeled slippers of red 
morocco, laced up high, and decked with 
red rosettes well bespangled. In one hand 
she held a tambourine hung around with nar- 
row ribbons of every color of the rainbow. 

Josie was smiling sufficiently to show the 
deep dimples in her cheeks and glimpses of 
her perfect teeth while standing gazing in 
rapt, open-eyed attention at the figure lean- 
ing against the invaluable evergreen-tree. 

Claude Ellicott presented the typical trou- 
badour in purple velvet coat, flowered silk 
waistcoat, knee-breeches of purple velvet, 
white silk hosen, high-heeled shoes with im- 
mense silver buckles, and a cape of scarlet 
velvet, edged with gilt fringe and lined with 
white satin, flung back from his shoulders. 

Leaning a little forward, he was touching 
the strings of a guitar with white fingers, on 
which flashed the glint of diamonds, while 
falls of rich-looking lace partly covered his 
hands. Against his cheeks curled a dark, 
thick mustache. 


THE TABLEAUX 


253 


But, appropriate and bewitching as were 
the costumes, it was the faces, the expressive, 
captivating faces, that finally fixed the atten- 
tion of all observers. 

Josie’s eyes were full of light and admira- 
tion, and her very tambourine seemed to be 
listening, while Claude’s was the eager, 
searching, anxious-to-please face of the ardent 
young cavalier. 

Josie’s beautiful face reddened perceptibly 
under the tumultuous applause that after one 
silent, breathless moment fairly shook the 
stage. 

Four times the curtain went up on the 
alluring scene, and even then the unsatisfied 
throng clamored for still another view of the 
beautiful picture. But for that they must 
wait until the next night. 

^‘Stunning creature!” ejaculated a young 
man in evening dress whose reputed wealth 
and generosity made him a desirable guest 
of the evening. “ Who can I get to intro- 
duce me?” 


254 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


A little later Wilfred Corning said in a 
low, coaxing whisper to Claude Ellicott: 

“ See here, Ellicott, go home just for to- 
night with Bella Corrette, will you, please? 
I want to see that Josie Bean gets home all 
right.” 

“ No, you don’t,” said Claude, with prompt 
decision. “ I have told Miss Josie that I shall 
see she gets home in safety myself! ” 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


LITTLE DAFFY AGAIN 

“ Mother, you must make that child obey 
better than she does, or Pm afraid she’ll come 
to harm some day. She doesn’t want to mind 
anybody.” 

Mr. Corning, like many another father, 
called his wife “ mother ” in his own home, 
and, in reply to what he had just said, Mrs. 
Corning began : 

“ Yes, I know Daffy is a very wilful little 
thing, and I often try to make her obey, but 
you all pet her so that she has an idea she 
can do just exactly as she pleases. And the 
girls make such an outcry if I threaten to 
punish her that I know I have not been as 
firm as I ought. 

“ Ellen, her nurse, complained the other 
255 


256 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


day that in the street she was in constant fear 
lest the little witch would get away from her, 
as she would not keep hold of her hand, and 
she is quick as a flash in her movements. I 
really must make dear little Daffy mind.” 

It was not the first time Mrs. Corning had 
felt she was scarcely doing her duty by the 
baby of the family, but she was such a cun- 
ning, beguiling little creature it really was 
hard to take her wilfulness in earnest, and 
try to break it up. 

Still another year had taken its flight. A 
year that, with its various interests, its work, 
engagements, and entertainments, had been a 
very full, busy one for the young people with 
whom we have become familiar. 

Josie, sixteen and not far from seventeen, 
a tall maiden “ very fair to see,” could now 
trim a hat with skill, draw and paint with 
increasing skill, and was of importance in the 
great millinery establishment, although so 
young, next to Madame Leroy herself. She 
had also read quite a good deal in the year 


LITTLE DAFFY AGAIN 


257 


just past, and was charmed to find how much 
could be learned from books. Yet at heart 
she was the same shy, eager, sweet-tempered, 
self-respecting, ambitious Josie as ever. 

It was a bright, cold day, the same on which 
Mr. Corning had made a plea in favor of 
striving to make Daffy more obedient. Mrs. 
Corning was about to make a morning call 
on a friend, when Ellen, still retained as 
Daffy’s nurse, asked if she might take the 
child with her down-town while she did a 
few errands. She is always pretty good in 
the stores,” the girl said. 

“ Very well, she can go,” her mother said, 
only be sure, Ellen, to keep hold of her 
hand in the street.” 

“Yes’m, I always try to,” Ellen replied. 
“Now you must be a good little girl,” 
Ellen said, as she put on the child’s outer 
garments. “You know the city’s a dreadful 
place for children to get lost in, and if you 
don’t keep tight hold my hand, there’s no 


258 JOSIE bean: flat street 

knowin’ who may snap you up and run off 
with you.” 

Daffy caught in the corner of her lip, as 
if she meant to make no promises, and Ellen, 
noticing it, said: 

“ Oh, now, little Miss Daffy, you’ll be seein’ 
how tight I’ll clutch that little paw o’ yourn, 
and all is, if you don’t behave, I won’t take 
you out again, now you’ll see.” 

“ I’m always good in the stores,” answered 
Daffy. 

“ Yes, so you are, for sure,” admitted Ellen, 
but it’s in the street is the most danger. 
Are you going to mind now?” asked Ellen, 
hesitating about putting on Daffy’s hat. 

“Yes, I’ll be good,” said the child. 

As Mrs. Corning had overheard the con- 
versation, she thought it best not to add any- 
thing. Daffy had promised to be good, and 
she rather believed she would be. 

The day was exceptionally fine, and the 
streets filled with carriages and people. 

Josie, on the way to the studio, felt the 


LITTLE DAFFY AGAIN 


259 


fresh, enlivening air, and noticed the stir and 
activity on every side. 

Suddenly she heard her name called from 
the middle of the street. Right upon the 
sound came a cry of warning, and, darting 
a swift look around, Josie was just in time 
to see little Daffy Corning fall as it appeared 
in the wake of an automobile. 

Without a moment’s thought, Josie rushed 
into the street, and caught up the quiet child. 
Several persons gathered around, as the young 
girl with her tender burden reached the side- 
walk. 

But Daffy had only been stunned, and so 
lulled into temporary silence. As soon as 
she opened her eyes, looked around, and saw 
that she was in Josie’s arms, she began scream- 
ing in the wild, persistent way of a scared 
and nervous child. 

A druggist’s near at hand offered refuge 
from the gathering crowd, and Josie, feeling 
great relief that Daffy was not killed, and 
had sufficient strength for such shrill crying. 


26 o . JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


went into the store. Here she succeeded in 
quieting the terrified little girl to a degree 
which reduced the screams to sobs and a 
quaking of the trim little frame. 

All at once some one rushed into the store, 
and there was poor Ellen, her face drawn 
with excitement and terror. 

Oh, miss,” she began, “ I did try that hard 
to keep a-hold of Miss Daffy’s hand, and she 
were .a-trottin’ along as good as any kitten 
when all to once she saw you on the opposite 
sidewalk, then quicker than any little cat she 
ketched her hand away, and made straight for 
the crowded street. 

“ You see, miss, she was that quiet I didn’t 
gripe at her hand the way I s’pose I’d oughter. 
She isn’t most killed, is she? ” 

“ Oh, no, and I don’t believe you were to 
blame a bit,” said Josie, wanting to comfort 
the poor girl, who was in a flutter of fear and 
anxiety. 

Poor, mischievous little Daffy still sobbed 
at intervals in Josie’s arms, with her head laid 


LITTLE DAFFY AGAIN 


261 


against the young girl’s shoulder, but, when 
some little change of position was attempted, 
the child cried out with pain. 

“ I’m afraid she is hurt, miss,” said the 
druggist’s clerk. “ I’d get her home quickly, 
and call a doctor.” 

Ellen put out her strong arms and spoke 
coaxingly, but no amount of urging or per- 
suasion could lure her from Josie’s arms. 

Dear me,” cried Ellen, “ if only the mis- 
tress wasn’t out, I could have the carriage 
here in no time!” 

Then, as a convenient thought struck her, 
she added, quickly: 

Oh, but I believe me I know the very 
house she went to call at. It isn’t very fur. 
If I’m spry enough, I can have the mistress 
and the carriage both here in about ten min- 
utes.” And off she darted. 

It was about fifteen minutes later that the 
Corning carriage stopped at the druggist’s, 
and Mrs. Corning sprang out. Daffy had 
quieted entirely, and was getting drowsy when 


262 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


her mother appeared. No thought of either 
wilfulness or blame could find place in the 
mother’s heart now. 

But the child still refused to be moved, 
and cried out sharply when Josie straightened 
herself in order to hold her more comfortably. 
Mrs. Corning was anxious and alarmed. 

“ Oh, dear, could you get into the carriage 
with her in your arms? ” she begged of Josie. 
“ She is in such distress the moment we try 
to take her away, I don’t see how we can in- 
sist on taking her from you.” 

Josie consented to do anything she could 
at such a trying time, trying not to think of 
the lesson she would lose. On the way to the 
house, Mrs. Corning found out that she was 
on the way to the studio, and expressed her 
regret that the lesson must be given up. 

“Oh, never mind,” said Josie, brightly; 
“ one out of so many won’t make any differ- 
ence.” 

At the house, however. Daffy still clung to 
Josie’s neck, refusing, with all the unreason- 


LITTLE DAFFY AGAIN 


263 


ableness of a hurt and still frightened child, 
to lie down, for fear Josie would go and leave 
her. 

“ Well, now, lie down on your soft little 
bed,” Josie urged, “ and I’ll stay close beside 
Daffy until she is all comfy, comfy, and drops 
off to sleep.” 

“ Won’t go to sleep,” whimpered the child. 
“ Stay ’wake all the time if you’re goin’ away 
’tall.” 

Oh, then I’ll stay forever,” said the sweet- 
tempered girl, with a laugh that sent way in 
her charming dimples, and made even poor, 
distressed Mrs. Corning smile. 

And it may be that Josie had to feel a little 
pleased that the dainty darling of the fine 
household should show for her so determined 
a fancy. 

A telephone call had summoned the doctor, 
who showed a degree of anxiety on entering 
the house that seemed as if far in excess of 
what the case demanded. 

When and where did this accident hap- 


264 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


pen?” he asked, hastily, and Mrs. Corning 
thought nervously. 

On being told, he exclaimed: 

Yes, yes, and it was my auto that caused 

it!” 

He explained: “ I knew a little girl almost 
ran against the machine on Broad Street, but 
I, had no idea she was knocked down until, 
wJiile talking with a man at my office a few 
moments ago, he said, ‘ Doctor, I think the 
fail end of your carriage just escaped going 
over a little child a short time ago. It pushed 
her over as it was.’ ” The doctor continued: 

“ I was not going rapidly at the time, al- 
though hurrying home from a long visit to 
a patient, neither did I hear any shouts, or 
I assuredly should have stopped at once. But 
when you telephoned that your baby girl had 
been hurt in the street, it made my heart jump. 
Now let’s find out how much mischief has 
been done. Very little, I hope.” 

Daffy acted as if about to scream when the 


LITTLE DAFFY AGAIN 


265 


doctor took hold of her gently, but he said, 
with professional firmness: 

‘‘Oh, no, no! doctor can’t find out what 
hurts the little girl if she makes a fuss. Be 
a little woman now, and we’ll soon have our 
small lady all right, I imagine.” 

He felt of arms and legs, raising them 
carefully up and down. Daffy keeping quiet, 
although there came a threatening curl of 
her lip. 

But when the doctor put his hands under 
her arms, and, raising her a little, shook her 
slightly, the child gave a swift wail. 

“ As I feared,” said the doctor, “ her back 
is injured, but I do not think seriously. The 
chief thing will be to keep her perfectly quiet 
for a few days. With your help, Mrs. Corn- 
ing, we will undress her at once.” 

But no; Daffy squirmed and cried, making 
matters worse, and her mother looked at the 
doctor in despair. 

Josie darted forward. 

“ Come, come, let Josie take off this little 


266 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


sleeve,” she said, smiling cheerily, “ then off 
comes the other, and my, my! the little piggy 
fingers must keep out of the way. Let’s snap 
our eyes at the wicked little piggy fingers.” 

Daffy giggled. Hopeful sound and sign! 

The doctor exchanged pleased looks with 
the relieved mother, as the pretty dress came 
off, and skirts followed. 

But not all Josie’s chattering and snapping 
of eyes could keep Daffy from making an 
occasional little outcry as, aided by the doctor, 
the clothes were nearly all removed. Then, 
as no bruises were visible on the plump, white 
back or shoulders, the ruffled night-dress was 
put on, and the doctor proceeded to rub the 
smooth little back very softly with pungent 
liniment; the soothing motion caused the 
child to grow drowsy again. 

The doctor made a motion to Josie to 
linger. 

Sleep came sweetly after the pain, excite- 
ment, and relief. 

“ Can you be here when Miss Daffy-Down- 


LITTLE DAFFY AGAIN 


267 


Dilly awakes?” asked the doctor, with a 
shrug. 

“ I’m afraid not, on account of the store,” 
Josie replied. 

“What store?” 

When it was explained what Josie meant, 
the doctor offered to go and explain why Josie 
might not return that day. 

“ Anything to keep the midget quiet,” he 
said. “ She will mix you up with getting hurt 
and then getting relieved. And with the 
querulousness of a sick child, will doubtless 
look around for you the first thing when she 
opens her eyes, and refuse to be comforted 
if you are nowhere to be seen. For two days, 
at least, I want her to be kept absolutely mo- 
tionless if possible. You might go home at 
night and come back early in the morning. 
It seems you have the power to amuse her. 
I wish very much you could be near her the 
next two days.” 

“ Do, my dear, do stay,” said Mrs. Corn- 


268 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


ing, beseechingly. “ I will certainly make 
it all right at the store.” 

Josie consented to spend the next two days 
at Daffy’s bedside, but said that, as the child 
would probably sleep for at least an hour, and 
the doctor said- very likely considerably 
longer, she thought it would be better for 
her to go herself to the store and explain 
matters, then run home for a few minutes. 

“ All right. I’ll take you to the store in my 
buggy,” the doctor said. “ I know Rockson, 
and can settle matters with him in about two 
minutes. But I want you on hand when our 
small patient awakens. I’ve an idea that Miss 
Daffy-Down-Dilly has a rumply little will of 
her own under her pink and white skin,” and 
his eyes twinkled knowingly. “ We must 
keep her placid until it is pretty certain that 
crying will not harm her.” 

As Josie left the room, Mrs. Corning fol- 
lowed her. 

“ My dear,” she said, ‘‘ I wish you could 
get leave to be absent from the store for a 


LITTLE DAFFY AGAIN 269 

week or two, and act as an extra nurse here. 
I would pay you almost anything.” 

Josie drew herself up. “ I am studying to 
be an artist,” she said. 

Mrs. Corning saw her mistake, and, like 
a true woman, was not above recognizing it. 

“ Ah, excuse me,” she said, “ I knew you 
were, but I thought how lovely it would be 
for me, and what a help, if only I could en- 
gage you to stay with Daffy for a week or so.” 

I will come and amuse Daffy for a few 
days,” Josie said, with her usual sweetness of 
manner, “ but I am to be an artist, and my 
father was a fine artist, too.” 


CHAPTER XIX. 

JOSIE IS IN THE WAY 

“ I don’t care what you say, girls, she is 
the sweetest, prettiest, and in every way the 
very most lovable young creature I ever saw! 
You’ve picked at her until I thought it might 
be as well for you to know my deliberate 
opinion.” 

So saying, Wilfred Corning flung himself 
out of the room and the presence of his sisters. 

“Well, has it come to this!” exclaimed 
Gwendolyn, in surprise and outspoken con- 
sternation. 

“ That’s what comes of encouraging poor 
girls who have good looks and a little talent,” 
said Do-do, speaking almost in a tone of awe. 

Just then Mrs. Corning entered the room. 


270 


JOSIE IS IN THE WAY 


271 


Seeing the dissatisfied, troubled looks on the 
faces of the two girls, she asked, cheer- 
fully: 

“What’s the matter, children? I think we 
ought to be a very grateful, happy household, 
for the doctor says all danger is past, and there 
will be no dreadful crook in darling little 
Dafify’s back. He thinks she will be able to 
walk in a short time.” 

“ That’s fine,” said Gwendolyn, with heart- 
iness, but the frown did not depart from her 
brow as she added: 

“ I only hope we have not escaped one mis- 
fortune to run directly into another.” 

Do-do also murmured some expression of 
thankfulness, but neither did her face 
brighten. 

“ Gwen, what did you mean by what you 
said just now?” her mother asked, looking 
half-amused. 

“ You should have been here a moment ago, 
mamma,” Gwen replied, “ and heard our 
brother’s declaration of admiration concern- 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


^72 

ing the young decorator, milliner, artist, 
nurse, and what-not that comes to amuse 
Daffy every day. Do you think she need 
come much longer? ’’ 

“ No, and very much relieved I can see she 
is that it is no longer imperative that she 
should. I certainly do not think you need dis- 
tress yourselves in the least on her account. 
And I am sure I do not see what we should 
have done without her the past four days. 
The doctor says that being able to k^ep Daffy 
quiet has had much to do with averting the 
evil he feared. It has been remarkable the 
way that dear young girl has amused her, giv- 
ing up everything to do so much for us all. 
I for one am deeply grateful to her.” 

Well, so am I,” said Gwen. “ But seri- 
ously, mamma, do you exactly want Will to 
set his heart upon her? ” 

“ Oh, nonsense! ” exclaimed Mrs. Corning. 
“ The girl is a mere child, and Wilfred doubt- 
less regards her as such. Do be sensible, 
Gwen. Can’t a young fellow express liking 


JOSIE IS IN THE WAY 


273 


or even admiration for a slip of a girl without 
your taking such unreasonable alarm?” 

“ I think it goes deeper than you think,” 
persisted Gwen. “ Look how he manages to 
break away from the office just at the time 
that her fairy stories begin. And listen to the 
merry voices and the giggles that come from 
the nursery as soon as he shows his face. And 
she is not such a child now, either.” 

I think it is treating Bella Corrette shame- 
fully, too,” began Do-do, “ the way Wilfred 
neglects her of late. No matter how proud 
Bella is, I think it will break her heart ut- 
terly if Wilfred drops her, and — dear me, 
mamma, you must see how Will is infatu- 
ated!” 

But Mrs. Corning would not be convinced. 

“ I don’t think the poor child can be very 
anxious to keep bn coming here,” she said, 
‘‘ seeing as plainly as she must that neither of 
you girls approve of her. I’ve done all I 
could to make her come. I’ve coaxed and 
urged and made her understand that the com- 


274 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


fort of Daffy’s whole future might depend on 
her obliging me for a time. I shall give her 
a handsome present one of these days to show 
the obligation I feel myself under to her.” 

I wish she had never come here to dec- 
orate that Christmas tree,” said Gwen, mo- 
rosely. 

“ I don’t wish so,” said her mother. “ I 
think many of these arrangements are beyond 
our direct control, and are meant to take 
place. We do not order our own lives, you 
must remember.” 

“ We can punch off a danger,” said Do-do. 

Mrs. Corning laughed. “ I see no danger,” 
she said. “ As to Bella Corrette, well, I don’t 
know as I consider Bella the most desirable 
girl possible for Wilfred to fancy.” 

Both girls exclaimed at this. “ Why, 
Mamma Corning!” Gwen went on, “you 
know what a perfect beauty Bella is, and think 
of her father’s wealth and her elegant home, 
and, most of all, how she adores Wilfred. 


JOSIE IS IN THE WAY 


275 


And Wilfred was attentive enough to her 
before this Josie affair turned up.” 

‘‘ He went with her just as he went with 
some others,” said the mother, calmly. “ But 
Mr. Corrette is considered very overreaching 
in business affairs, and I have heard your 
father say he was not very much respected in 
business circles; and I certainly think Bella 
a very haughty girl.” 

We girls like her,” said Do-do. 

“Yes, and IVe no objection to your liking 
her,” answered her mother. “Neither am 
I saying for a moment that I should favor 
especial liking for Josie Bean on Wilfred’s 
part. I should not. But I want to be just, 
and justice compels me to say that I see no 
disposition whatever on Miss Josie’s part to 
come here longer than is necessary, nor have 
I seen anything that causes me to think she 
cares in the least to have Wilfred linger 
around where she is.” 

“ I’m afraid you’re a little blind, mamma,” 
said Gwen, with an unbelieving air. 


276 JOSIE bean: flat street 

Yes, a little blind,” echoed Do-do. 

And all this time, good, patient Josie, who 
had learned to love clinging little Daffy, sat 
reading away by the gilded crib, stopping at 
about every page to explain something in the 
fairy-story that she was afraid her small lis- 
tener might not understand. 

Yet, comfortable as was the nursery, and 
eager as was the listening child, the young 
reader was all the time longing to get back 
to her usual work and studies. Then, too, the 
shy girl could not fail of seeing plainly that 
the too evident admiration of the only son 
of the household was far from pleasing to the 
sisters, who appeared to find it hard to be 
barely civil. 

On her way home that day, Josie said to 
herself, with pardonable spirit: “ I want no 
particular notice from their brother, and only 
wish I dared tell them so! But how he does 
hang around! He says things, too.” She 
stopped muttering, and her eyes grew dreamy 
as she added, in the lowest of whispers : 


JOSIE IS IN THE WAY 


277 


“ What a different thing it would be if Mr. 
Ellicott should say those things!” 

Then she was at home, and sensibly tried 
to drive such useless thoughts away. 

The next day, Josie told Mrs. Corning she 
could not come to the house any longer. Very 
heartily the good lady thanked her for what 
she had so kindly done. “ Dear little Daffy 
will have to learn to do as she is told, after 
this,” she said, “ but I think she will soon 
yield when she finds I am in earnest about the 
matter.” 

Josie did not tell Daffy she was not coming 
any more. She simply bade her good night 
at bedtime, and left her to the management 
of her mother. 

But, if Josie had left the Corning house 
to her own mother’s great relief, she could 
not shake off the little attentions Wilfred was 
now bound to offer. 

When his mother spoke with some serious- 
ness to him one day, reminding him that it 
was not right to flutter around a young girl 


278 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


like Josie merely to please a passing fancy, 
he answered in a way to cause her some an- 
noyance. 

“You owe much to your station in life, 
remember,” she warned, “ your birth, edu- 
cation, and social position. Josie Bean is a 
good girl, and respectable in a way, but not, 
of course, one whom either your father or I 
would wish to see you become deeply inter- 
ested in.” 

“ Mother,” began Wilfred, soberly, “ I 
think that any young girl who will raise her- 
self up from humble surroundings, and be 
determined to rise to better things, and who, 
through her own will, perseverance, and na- 
tive talent, fits herself to rank with the best, 
should be encouraged in every way. And 
then, if she is so beautiful that any one can’t 
help admiring her, what is the use in trying 
to help it? ” 

Mrs. Corning took alarm at last. 

Josie was good, Josie was smart, and she 
was undeniably a very lovely girl to look 


JOSIE IS IN THE WAY 


279 

upon. But she was not really educated; her 
mother was a woman almost rude in speech, 
and in lowly walks of life such as Wilfred 
knew almost nothing about. Well — she 
must speak to his father about it. 

“ But what can I do, wife? ” Mr. Corning 
asked, when she did speak to him about it. 
“ I no more approve of any such preference 
on Wilfred’s part than you do, but I don’t 
see just what can be done. And honestly, I 
have admired the child’s looks and manners 
myself from the first of having seen her.” He 
went on: 

“ Wilfred is headstrong, and he is of age. 
What is more, he never readily gives up what 
he has once resolved upon. An excellent trait 
in many respects. You remember how he 
mastered his Latin and Greek at the high 
school, although for a long time he found 
them so hard. And Maxwell tells me he is 
taking hold of the practice of the law with 
the same strong determination to master its 
difficulties. 


/ 

28 o josie bean: flat street 

“ Well, well,” he added, with a sigh, we 
had better hit upon some plan for breaking 
up this unfortunate fancy, but we must act 
kindly, cautiously, and without making any 
attempt at coercing the lad.” 

But Mrs. Corning knew her boy. There 
was no time to be lost. 

It was only the next night that she asked 
her husband: 

“ Father, how much would it cost to send 
young Josie Bean across the water to take up 
painting under some of the best teachers for 
six months? ” 

“ Quite a sum, my dear.” 

“ Couldn’t you afford it? ” 

“ Why, yes, if it was advisable.” 

“ Very well, I want you to. I’ll cut down 
my personal expenses if you say so.” 

“You needn’t do that, wife. And I’m not 
sure but the idea is a good one.” 

Josie was not greatly surprised when, one 
Sunday afternoon, the Corning carriage 


JOSIE IS IN THE WAY 


281 

Stopped before her mother’s door. She con- 
cluded that Daffy had insisted on seeing her 
again, and in reality she was going to be sorry 
to go to the house again. 

But when Mrs. Corning had entered and 
began talking to her, — she was glad her 
mother happened to be away, — she opened 
wide her eyes in innocent surprise. 

“ My dear,” the lady began, “ how would 
you like to go abroad and take lessons in paint- 
ing of some of the splendid artists of Europe? 
Some of the same ones, in fact, that Claude 
Ellicott studied under.” 

Josie simply stared. 

“ You know,” Mrs. Corning went on, “ we 
certainly should do something to show our 
gratitude for your kindness to our dear little 
Daffy after that painful accident.” 

“ I don’t want you to,” Josie found voice 
to say. Daffy was running to me when she 
was pushed over.” 

“ That makes no difference, my dear, not 
the least. You had nothing whatever to do 


282 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


with what happened. Now wouldn’t you 
enjoy taking these lessons? You may know 
that it is thought to be a great thing to cross 
the water and take up the study of any art 
under foreign masters. It doubtless would 
also be found of great advantage to be able 
to say you studied abroad, if, in time, you 
wished to teach painting.” 

“ But it is so far,” said Josie. 

“ Yes, but a lady of my acquaintance, a 
Mrs. Deems, it happens very fortunately, is 
about to visit Antwerp, in Belgium, a coun- 
try of Western Europe, and is to take with 
her, and have under her care, three young 
girls, students like yourself. Now you can 
join this choice party if you choose, and have 
six months’ instruction under the best mas- 
ters. Do you not think it would be very nice? 
Thousands of young girls would jump at the 
chance! ” 

“ I don’t know what ma will say,” Josie 
answered, showing no inclination to “ jump 
at the chance.” 


JOSIE IS IN THE WAY 


283 


Down deep in her heart was one very strong 
reason why she did not want to go. All at 
once she remembered her manners. 

“ You are very kind,” she said, “ and I am 
sure I thank you. I’ll ask ma about it, and, 
if she says I can, I think I will go.” 

“ Is this your mother coming? ” asked Mrs. 
Corning, as, seated by the window, she saw 
a woman walking toward the front door. 

Yes, it is,” said Josie. 

Mrs. Corning, in pretty, ladylike speech, 
explained the offer she had been making. 
And she put things in so strong and favorable 
a light that Mrs. Bean said she couldn’t see 
why Josie hadn’t better make the best of so 
good a chance. 

But, after Mrs. Corning had gone, she 
turned to Josie, and said, in her usual blunt, 
harsh way: 

“ Don’t you see through all my lady’s won- 
derful kindness? I do. I gave my consent 
to your goin’ because, for one thing, I can’t 
help seeing ’twould be a great help to you. 


284 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


and for another thing, I think, as she was fair 
enough to own, they ought to pay you pretty 
well for trampoosing way up there four mor- 
tal days running, to help take care of the little 
girl. 

“ But it’s plain to me as the nose on your 
face that she wants to get you out of the way 
of that young prig that’s been crazy to keep 
round you, oh, ever so long! Dates way back 
to that Christmas tree. And my lady’s gettin’ 
scared. I let you go for your own sake, but 
I know it’s goin’ to ease her up past all tellin’.” 

So it was settled. But Josie did hate, “ past 
all telling,” to put an ocean between herself 
and her beloved teacher, Claude Ellicott. 


CHAPTER XX. 


IN SIX MONTHS 

JOSIE went early to the studio on Tuesday 
morning, as she had a story to tell before the 
other pupils came. But it did not take Mr. 
Ellicott long to discover that her mind was 
far away from the easel before her. 

“ She is thinking of Wilfred Corning,” 
thought the young man, with some bitterness. 
“ But there! I couldn’t think otherwise than 
kindly of Josie Bean, no matter where her 
thoughts might be.” 

When it came, however, to Josie’s suddenly 
dropping her paint-brush on the floor, she 
gave it up and said : 

“ Excuse, me, Mr. Ellicott, but I cannot 
take a lesson to-day. I must go back to the 
store, and — and — I’m going away! ” 

285 


286 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


“Going away?” said Claude. “Well, 
come into the sitting-room and let us talk it 
over.” 

He had no idea what Josie meant, but 
feared, from her manner, that she was about 
to make some permanent change. Perhaps 
her mother was going to move away, and, in 
that case, Josie would probably move with 
her. 

But, once seated in the cosy sitting-room 
which was just back of the studio, Josie told 
the story in a few words. 

Claude saw it all. Saw it clearly, as in the 
flash of an electric light. He knew of Daffy’s 
mishap, had to know it, because of her de- 
mands on Josie’s time. He knew of Wilfred’s 
fascination, and thought he knew, alas! of 
the willing meetings that took place every 
day. He also swiftly guessed that the wealthy 
parents of the young man wished to separate 
them in time. 

His face flushed as he realized that his best 
and fairest pupil was about to leave him, and 


IN SIX MONTHS 


287 


that for months he should not see her face. 
But, unselfish and noble at heart, Claude 
plucked himself up bravely to make reply. 

It is a splendid chance,” he said, “ a 
splendid chance! Make the best of it. Mr. 
Corning helped me when I went abroad, be- 
cause of a real or fancied debt he owed my 
father for having assisted him when he was 
a young man. See what it has been worth 
to me. Now, he and his wife offer to help 
you in much the same way. I can only re- 
peat: make the best of it.” 

So willing to have me go!” inwardly 
sighed poor Josie. 

“ I shall miss my lessons here,” she said, 
her voice trembling. 

Claude noticed the quavering voice, no- 
ticed also the nervous movements of her 
shapely little hands. 

“But you want to go, Josie?” 

He had never failed of calling her Miss 
Josie before. 

The girl was quick to notice the change. 


288 


JOSIE bean: flat street 


also a tone of regret that had stolen into his 
voice. 

“ No,” she said, her lip curling like that 
of a grieved child, “ I don’t want to go. But 
my poor papa once told me to do the best 
by myself that I could, and I’ve never for- 
gotten it, and I want to obey him. Now I’m 
going because it will help me up, that’s all.” 

“ I suppose it will be hard at first,” Claude 
said, trying to speak cheerfully. “You will 
miss your mother and your friends at the 
store, and the Comings, who have been very 
kind to you, I know.” 

His voice dropped a little, as he added: 

“ And you and Wilfred will miss each 
other of course; it couldn’t be otherwise.” 

“ Ho, I sha’n’t miss Josie returned, 

speaking with more of emphasis than she was 
aware, and flashing a quick look over at 
Claude. He was watching her with all his 
eyes. 

“ But he will miss you.” Claude held his 
voice steadily as he spoke. 


IN SIX MONTHS 


289 


That doesn’t make any difference. He 
ought to keep around Miss Bella Corrette. 
I never wanted him to keep around me, but 
he just would.” 

Claude leaned forward. 

“ I shall miss you dreadfully,” he said, put- 
ting out both hands. 

‘‘ I don’t want to go,” wailed Josie, thrust- 
ing her hands into his. I want to stay 
here!” 

You shall come back,” said Claude, you 
shall come back; and, what is more, I will 
come for you when the time is up. Go now, 
and do the best you can. But don’t forget, 
Josie, when Madame Deems is ready to bring 
back her four young ladies, I will come over 
and see the whole company home. 

“ Before we take the return trip, however, 
we will go in parties to the large picture- 
galleries, and see the works of some of the 
great masters, ‘ the old masters,’ as they are 
called. We will see them together.” 

Josie suddenly caught her breath. 


290 JOSIE bean: flat street 

“ But Miss Gwendolyn Corning,” she 
gasped, “ wouldn’t it make her very an- 
gry? ” 

Claude regarded her with an amused 
smile. . 

“ As you said of her brother Wilfred just 
now, that will make no difference.” 

“Why, I thought,” stammered Josie, “I 
thought — ” 

“You were mistaken, Josie, you were mis- 
taken, dear; you have been the favorite pupil 
all along.” 

A happier, more lightsome creature could 
not have been found on the face of the earth 
than was Josie Bean during the two weeks 
that elapsed before Madame Deems and her 
youthful party sailed. 

Hiram’s lugubrious face was not to be 
lightened. 

“ Doesn’t matter that the whole establish- 
ment has gone into mourning,” he whined; 
“ off goes the decorator-in-chief, as merry as 


IN SIX MONTHS 


291 


a bird, to sail the seas, for to paint and paint. 
Ah, me! Ah, me! Artistic decoration goes 
a-sailing of the sea.” 

Mr. Rockson, Madame Leroy, Miss 
Loomis, Miss Blossom, in short, as Hiram 
said, “ the whole establishment ” hated to 
see Josie go. 

The manager gave her a lovely hat, a 
toque, and a steamer cap, and from the prin- 
cipals she received a pretty purse, containing 
fine proof of their kindliness of feeling and 
esteem. 

“ She is the best, most faithful child I ever 
saw,” said Madame Leroy, wiping away a 
tear. 

When Gwendolyn Corning heard that Josie 
was going abroad, she clapped her hands for 
joy. And for two reasons. Not only would 
she be out of Wilfred’s way, but Claude 
Ellicott would not be seeing her twice every 
week. Not that Gwen felt there was any rea- 
son to feel at all concerned as to the last con- 
sideration, for certainly Claude had never 


292 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


shown the absurd preference for the girl in 
any way that Wilfred had. 

“ Still, I would much rather have her out 
of the way,” she softly told herself. 

It was indeed remarkable that so humble 
a maiden should have been missed to the de- 
gree that Josie was missed throughout the 
great millinery house. Both store and work- 
room were different places without the light 
of Josie’s bronze eyes and her cheery, win- 
some presence. 

Wilfred Corning turned sulky. He 
avoided Bella Corrette, and was angry with 
his sister Gwendolyn because of her outspoken 
satisfaction at Josie’s departure. 

“ I’ll get even with Miss Gwen,” he said, 
resentfully. 

But he little guessed how he would get 
even with her. 

One day he strolled into Claude Ellicott’s 
studio. After they had chatted awhile on 


IN SIX MONTHS 


m 


indifferent subjects, Wilfred asked, with a 
smile: 

“ Don’t you miss the little Bean?” 

“ I miss her ^ more than tongue can tell,’ ” 
Claude replied, quietly. 

“ So do I,” promptly agreed Wilfred. “ It 
may have been all very well sending her 
away,” he added, with bitterness, “ but older 
people seem to forget that some feelings last 
a great deal longer than six months. 

What I felt worst about, though, Claude, 
between you and me, was that the girl went 
away not only willingly, but was light-hearted 
as a robin. I went to the steamer to see her 
off. Her dimples played in and out until 
the last moment. I did wish she would show 
a little bit of feeling.” 

“ I couldn’t see her off,” said Claude, still 
speaking quietly, as he played with a brush 
he had been trimming. He added in a still 
lower tone: 

“ But I’ve promised to go for her when the 
six months are up.” 


^94 JOSIE bean: flat street 

“The dickens you have!” exclaimed Wil- 
fred. “And you go with her leave?” 

Claude’s head was bent down ; without 
lifting it, he raised his eyes, and, with the 
glint of a smile in them, he said: 

“ She will count the days, I hope, as I cer- 
tainly shall until I go for her, — with her 
permission.” 

“ Lucky fellow,” said Wilfred; “ I would 
like to stand in your shoes.” 

The time went slowly by to one person who 
missed Josie with a loneliness that wore on 
her very heart-strings. The mother learned 
now what Josie had been to her. The bright 
face, industrious habits, patient answers, all 
came back with vividness as the days rolled 
by, and no Josie, with cheery laugh and 
breezy bustle, came and went in the old joy- 
ous way. 

“ I didn’t know she was such a sight of com- 
pany,” she sighed one day. 

Then another day: “ I didn’t take to heart 


IN SIX MONTHS 


295 


the way I’d oughter her being such a good 
child; I declare I didn’t!” 

And still again : “ When my daughter 

comes back, I’ll speak more softly, I’ll be 
more gentle. I’ll be more loving-like, I de- 
clare I will! ” 

The mother said the most on a still later 
day, when she broke out vehemently, as if 
glad of the sound of her own voice in the 
silence : 

“Always trying to lift herself up! And 
always lifting herself up, too, the little dear! 
I’ll try to be like her. I’ll dress more care- 
fully. Yes, I’ll try to be more like my own 
brave child, I declare I will!” 

A resolve made in solitude to be remem- 
bered and faithfully kept afterward. 

One day Wilfred Corning stood looking 
disconsolately out of the dining-room window. 
Breakfast was just over, and Gwen, who 
longed to bring about the old intimacy, and 
in an increased degree, between her brother 
and Bella Corrette, said, gaily: 


2g6 JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


“ I suppose you’re going to take Bella to 
the dance to-night, brother mine? She’s got 
a splendid new gown.” 

“ I’m not going myself,” said Wilfred, 
shortly. 

“ Dear me, Will,” returned Gwendolyn, 
speaking in a sisterly tone, more sisterly than 
had been her wont of late, “ I do hope you’re 
not pining for that Josie Bean. You can’t go 
for her, you know.” 

Oh, no, that’s all over,” said Wilfred. 

“ Yes, has to be for the present,” Gwen 
replied, indulgently. 

“ It’s over forever,” said Wilfred, snapping 
a blade of his jack-knife into place. “ Ellicott 
goes for her in the summer. They fixed it 
all up before she went away. He goes with 
her consent.” 

Wilfred did not turn and look at his sister. 
It was kinder that he did not. She was stand- 
ing like a statue, looking past her brother 
into space. She was still standing gazing 


IN SIX MONTHS 


297 


beyond the window-pane when the butler 
came to remove the breakfast dishes. 

Wilfred had got “ even with Miss 
Gwen.” 

In fair old Antwerp, a beautiful young girl 
was going blithesomely to and from a certain 
studio, usually in company with three other 
girls as blithesome as herself. They all 
seemed to regard life as being a bright and 
abiding summer’s day. 

The comely middle-aged lady, who looked 
after them like any mother, could trust them 
when her eye was not actually upon them 
as well as when it was. Two' of the girls, 
older than Josie, were from the homes of 
wealthy parents, but there was no distinction 
thought of amongst the congenial group. All 
alike were fond of the beautiful art that had 
taken them to the far city, and all were doing 
well. But Josie was doing best of all. 

It is in her blood, in her finger-tips, a 
natural gift that only needs training,” said 


298 


JOSIE BEAN: FLAT STREET 


the old artist, who delighted in Josie’s genius, 
and did his best to direct and draw it out. 

Yet happiness does very much toward help- 
ing on both genius and patient endeavor. 
And one secret of Josie’s charming freshness 
of countenance, as well as her increasing skill 
with pencil, brush, and canvas, was the chime 
that kept ringing its sweet promise in her 
young heart: 

“ At the end of six months he is coming 
for me! ” 

“ At the end of six months he is coming 
for me! ” 


THE END. 









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